Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Friday, December 18, 2015

Led Bib @ The Jazz Café Dec. 16

Chris Williams, Pete Grogan (alto saxes); Toby McLaren (keyboards); Liran Donin (bass); Mark Holub (drums)
(Review by Steve H/Photo courtesy of Ken Drew).
From the moment the band kicked off with a 100mph hour explosive blast to the moment it ended in a gentle coda this gig was the ultimate in high energy ‘Power Jazz’. There was standing room only for former Mercury prize nominees Led Bib and the audience was not disappointed. The music was loud, brash and unforgiving. Holub on drums and Donin on bass were unrelenting, creating a storm behind the 2 alto players Grogan and Jazz Café regular Chris Williams, (this being his third visit to the upstairs room in as many months).  Mclaren on keyboards got up to all sorts of mischief with the electronics at his disposal. This band certainly don’t do cool and easy listening but rather wild, invigorating and totally uplifting contemporary jazz.
Photos.
Steve H.

1 comment :

Paul Bream said...

Spot on Steve - "wild, invigorating and totally uplifting" says it all - it was great to find that a band which has been on the scene for more than a decade is just getting better & better, yet still with an instantly recognisable trademark sound.
And since their gig on Wednesday news has come through that Led Bib has been selected as one of the UK's two representatives at next year's Jazzahead - the biggest showcase for jazz anywhere in Europe. The other chosen band is Laura Jurd's Dinosaur, who have also played a Jazz North East gig in Newcastle within the past couple of months. So where JNE goes today, the rest of Europe follows tomorrow!

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