Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18818 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 682 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 20) 51.

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

From This Moment On

August

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Sat 22: Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham Alumni All Stars + Swing Manouche @ Darlington Market Place. From 1:00pm. Free. The All Stars (1:00pm); The Alumni (2:00-4:00pm); Swing Manouche (4:15pm).

Sun 23: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Royal Quays Marina, North Shields. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free..
Sun 23: Blue Note Quintet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00..
Sun 23: Timmy Allan Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 24: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 27: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 27: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Jazz Café Jam Session - January 19.

(Review by Lance).
Once again the faithful turned out in their hordes for the Jazz Café Jam Session. The house trio set the ball rolling in 3/4 time - didn't recognise the tune although it did sound vaguely familiar. Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most, Scarborough Fair and More Than You Know followed before the first re-shuffle.
Stu Finden - the best bass playing saxophonist I know - took over from Grainger and Mrs Finden sang Bernie's Tune and Lester Leaps In before leaping out.
Nick Gould came down from Edinburgh hoping for warmer weather - as if! However, it didn't effect his tenor playing - straight down the middle renditions of  On Green Dolphin St., Out of Nowhere and My Foolish Heart - good swinging stuff.
Now a big, time taking, shuffle. A mix of young and old faces. Liu He, a Chinese student (I guess), sang The Nearness of You and Blue Moon with backing and good solos from Chris Jones on guitar and James Robson on bass. The quartet was rounded off by veteran drummer (although not the oldest drummer in the room) Eric Stutt. Look forward to hearing them again.
Gilligan returned for There Will Never be Another You and All Blues, the latter featuring Robson. Paul Wilson took over on piano for Blue Bossa, joined surreptitiously by Paul Gowland blowing tenor this week. Autumn Leaves rounded off this portion of evening in slightly confusing fashion as sometimes happens at jams. 
Gilligan and Grainger returned as did Ian Forbes who was the oldest drummer in the room if not the world! Nothing senile about his playing. Watch What Happens the tune.
Gowland came back aboard for In a Sentimental Mood then Gould joined him for a two tenor front line - the Jazz Couriers ride again!.
I think the tune may have been Shearing's Conception but I could be wrong - I often am!
What's in a name anyway? This was classic - two top tenors, contrasting styles but complementary.
 to each other. Ace rhythm section - Shangri-la. Unfortunately, with the Central Metro closing at 8pm and the 27 bus not stopping at Shangri-la I had to leave before the great amen.
Quite a session!
Lance.
Photos.
Pete Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Russ Morgan (dms) + Fiona Finden (vcl); Stu Finden (bs); Nick Gould (ten); Liu He (vcl); James Robson (bs); Chris Jones (gtr); Eric Stutt (dms); Paul Wilson (pno); Paul Gowland (ten); Ian Forbes (dms).

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