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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + SH#RP Collective with Lindsay Hannon - open rehearsal.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

Sat 03: Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Summer Samba Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 03: Struggle Buggy @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 03: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Postmodern Jukebox @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:30pm. Free.

Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 04: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 04: Boys of Brass @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Ben Crosland Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 06: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £14.00. Tel: 0191 237 3697. ‘Victory in Europe Afternoon Tea’ (VE Day 80th anniversary).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: FILM: Whiplash @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 8:15pm.

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!

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