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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17822(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 143 of them this year alone and, so far, 68 this month (Feb.25).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ 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: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ 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. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Lapwing Jazz Trio @ Three Sheets to the Wind, Alnwick. 5:15pm or 5:45pm (times tbc). Part of the Alnwick Story Festival's music fringe programme: Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Joseph O’Brien: The Ultimate Tribute to Frank Sinatra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. O’Brien & seven piece band (inc. Wendy Kirkland, Jim Corry & Pat Sprakes).
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 02: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £10.00. Day 3/3.
Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: Side Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Derwentwater Road, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Milne Glendinning Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 6:30pm.
Sun 02: Bella by Barlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 02: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Spittal Bowling Club, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Ali Watson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 03: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. Tel: 0191 237 3697. 12:30pm. £8.00. ‘Jazz ‘n’ Pancakes’.
Tue 04: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.
Tue 04: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. 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

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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