Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18621 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 485 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 14) 37

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

June

Tue 23: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 23: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 25: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 25: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Forgotten Ones & Any Quintets.
Thu 25: Edgar Ho Trio @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Brilliant alto sax, piano & double bass trio. Unmissable!
Thu 25: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 26: Finn-Keeble Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9:00.
Fri 26: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 26: Clark Tracey @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Newcastle Jazz Festival. £26.00. Day 1/2.

Sat 27: OUTRI @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £13.01. 1:00-1:45pm. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2.
Sat 27: House of the Black Gardenia + Magpies of Swing @ The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sat 27: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 2:15-3:15pm. £13.01. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2.
Sat 27: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 3:45-4:45pm. £13.01. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2.
Sat 27: Rory Ingham @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 5:30-6:30pm. £19.51. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2. Ingham w. Dean Stockdale, Ian Paterson, Dave McKeague.
Sat 27: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 27: Laura Jurd @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £26.00. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2. Sat 27: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

Sun 28: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 28: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: Tim Kliphuis Trio @ St Mary’s Church, Wooler. 3:00pm. £18.00., £6.00. A Wooler Arts Summer Concerts event. Tim Kliphuis (violin); Nigel Clark (guitar); Roy Percy (double bass).
Sun 28: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: An Evening of Jazz @ St James’ Church, Copper Chare, Morpeth. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 from 01670 788869 or 01670 519923. Mid Northumberland Chorus (MD Robin Forbes, Emma Straughan, piano) w. jazz trio featuring Edgar Ho, Oscar Ho & Dave McKeague & special guest Emily Masser. Performance inc. Bob Chilcott’s A Little Jazz Mass + George Shearing’s Songs & Sonnets.
Sun 28: Led Bib @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.00., £12.00. JNE.

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Monday, May 02, 2016

Where Has Ann Alex Got To?

Readers may have missed me [that's me between Sarah Travena and Ian Shaw - Claire Kelly far right] from BSH in recent weeks (or not?) so I thought I’d better explain my absence. I’ve been struck down with what one doctor called an ‘Angry Gallstone’ and I’ve spent a week in hospital, to which I’m returning within the month, for removal of my gall bladder.  This meant that I missed the GIJF and also loads of good things at the Globe. 
However I’ve managed to keep Body And Soul together and I Ain’t Misbehavin’, as I eat very low fat just now. All of Me occasionally aches, so I Don’t Get Around Much Any More, and each morning I say to myself Lady Be Good. It’s not a bad as having a Fever. I’d go out more but we’ve had some Stormy Weather lately. I’m looking  forward to the time after the operation when there’ll be No More Blues and I’ll declare that  It’s Alright With Me.
Amazing what you can do with song titles. I’d love other readers to come up with even better examples.
Ann Alex

9 comments :

The LondonJazz site said...

Straighten Up and Fly Right. All the best for a speedy and complete recovery. Seb

Lance said...

I bumped into "My Old Flame" "On the Street Where You Live". I asked her, "What's New?" She said, "I'm Getting Married in the Morning". I said, "Congratulations" then decided I must "Take the A Train". I got off at Lonely St. and headed for "Heartbreak Hotel"

Liz said...

After your operation, it'll be "So nice to come home to , so nice by the fire"...

Anonymous said...

From Ann Alex, Thanks so much Seb for the good wishes. I love that song title, I suppose it comes from WW2, a message to pilots. And Lance, I hope that's not the story of your life!

Anonymous said...

I think Straighten Up and Fly Right is about kicking the habit!

Facebook comments said...

Jude Murphy Get well soon, Ann x
Like · Reply · 11 hrs
Emma Fisk
Emma Fisk Hope you'll be back on The Sunny Side of the Street very soon Ann!x
Like · Reply · 10 hrs
Patti Durham
Patti Durham Oh yes ..... and Let the Sunshine In - tomorrow, anyway. You'll soon be Bouncing Around! xx
Like · Reply · 10 hrs
Eric Mckenzie Stutt
Eric Mckenzie Stutt Chin up Chuck!! x
Like · Reply · 10 hrs
Mary Bollands
Mary Bollands · Friends with Kath Jobes and 2 others
Sorry to hear that Ann. You must have been Bewitched,bothered and bewildered! Get well soon xx
Like · Reply · 9 hrs
CiCi Sparks
CiCi Sparks Get well soon Ann. But you know that Sarah Travena not Claire Martin right? Unless you're referring to me then I WISH I was Claire Martin haha. Sending healing vibes.
Like · Reply · 2 hrs
Lance Liddle
Lance Liddle That was my fault - I should have went to Specsavers!
Like · Reply · Just now

Liz said...

Ann as "Spring will be a little late this year," when you get back home it's sure to be "Summertime"

Anonymous said...

From Ann Alex. Thanks to all of you for the good wishes and the fun of the song titles!

Russell said...

Are you going to St James Infirmary? It could be The Last Dance, one thing is for sure, There’ll Never Be Another You (phew!). On your return to the folk/jazz scene you could quote Oscar Brown Jnr - Excuse Me For Livin’ and suggest Somebody Buy Me a Drink. That’s assuming it isn’t a case of After You’ve Gone!

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