Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 2025).

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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 12 noon-2:00pm (two sets). £12.00. admission (card or cash at the door). Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums). Note change of venue, no longer at Mrs M’s as advertised, the concert will be in the Old Library (Bishop Auckland Jazz’s regular venue). Important! It’s a ‘BYOB’ arrangement - ie bring your own booze (and/or tea, coffee, soft drinks).
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:00pm. ‘Klezmer, Gypsy Jazz, Balkan & More!’.
Fri 31: Nothing in Rambling @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £10.00. + bf. Country blues duo.
Fri 31 Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Wylam Institute. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf.
Fri 31: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £10.00 + bf. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.
Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00 Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 31: SwanNek + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. SwanNek’s new single launch gig. Pilgrim, formerly Hoochie Coochie.

February 2025

Sat 01: Alan Barnes & John Hallam with the Tom Kincaid Trio @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - Cy Coleman’s Witchcraft. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 01: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 01: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Western swing etc.

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

Monday, February 01, 2016

Durham Jazz Festival at Ushaw!

(Preview by Russell)
Building on the success of regular monthly jazz gigs at Ushaw College, pianist Paul Edis has been working away behind the scenes planning a jazz festival. The first Durham Jazz Festival at Ushaw will take place over the August Bank Holiday weekend (Friday 26th – Sunday 28th). The long-weekend event will take place in the splendour of Ushaw College on the outskirts of Durham. A former Catholic seminary, the vast Ushaw woodland estate with its landscaped gardens and ornamental lake will make an idyllic summer jazz venue.
Musicians confirmed for the inaugural Durham Jazz Festival at Ushaw include the superb Northern Monkey Brass Band as festival openers at six o’clock on Friday 26 August. The New Orleans second line dance grooves of Graham Hardy’s brass outfit will have ’em up dancing from the off! Later in the evening the acclaimed Zoë Gilby Quartet will maintain the highest of standards.
Saturday gets off to an early start with, appropriately, the Early Bird Band at 11:00am. In double quick time the teenage Early Birds have developed into a confident, gigging band, writing material and, under the guidance of Paul Edis, the future looks bright. Dr Edis has promised to lead an afternoon workshop and will be followed by author, broadcaster and musician Alyn Shipton and Alan Barnes in a ‘What is Jazz?’ presentation. Don’t miss the duo. They will be informative and, knowing Alan Barnes, side-splittingly hilarious!
Early Saturday evening is one for lovers of classic jazz guitar. The duo of Mark Williams and Joel Byrne-McCullough, friends from college days, will astonish those yet to hear the Irishmen. Those who have heard them won’t want to miss this special festival occasion.
The headliners come no better than Alan Barnes and Bruce Adams. World class jazz, it’s as simple as that. British musicians of international standing, the reeds and brass duo will be working with the incomparable Paul Edis Trio. Saturday’s entertainment concludes in time honoured jazz festival style with a late night jam session featuring the Peter Gilligan Trio. Sitters-in are positively encouraged, it’s the stuff of a great jam session!
Sunday’s events are scheduled to begin early in the day with light refreshments available for those making a day of it. A late afternoon concert featuring the unique New Century Ragtime Orchestra will delight festival goers, then at eight o’clock the first Durham Jazz Festival at Ushaw will be brought to a close by the dynamic Nigel Price Trio.
A festival programme will be available soon with full details of the weekend’s line-up, admission prices, directions to Ushaw College (DH7 9RH) and much more.
Russell.
There is a monthly, year round programme of jazz at Ushaw. Why not give it a try? The next gig on February 26 features the ‘classic jazz’ Virtuoso Jazz Trio. Admission £7.00 starting at 7:30pm. Future concerts include: April 29 James Birkett & Bradley Johnston,
May 27 Sue Ferris Quintet, June 24 Customs House Big Band, July 29 Paul Edis Sextet   
and, on September 30, Alice Grace Quintet. To reserve tickets telephone 0191 334 6423

2 comments :

Alyn Shipton (see photo). said...

I am looking forward to being there! With my chum Barnesy

EmmaFiskJazzVio said...

How exciting - well done Paul!

Blog Archive