Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Northern Edge Coffee, Silver St., Berwick. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Thursday, December 01, 2016

CD Review: Andrea Claburn - Nightshade

(Review by Ann Alex).
After 10 years of performing, studying and teaching, songwriter, arranger and vocalist, Andrea Claburn has finally recorded her first album.  ‘Frisco based Claburn studied jazz in California, as well as performing throughout the Bay area and further afield.  Nightshade is made up of 5 original songs by Claburn and 7 fresh interpretations of jazz standards and all except 1 track have been arranged by our singer.  All the instrumentalists are said to be world-class, and although I’m not familiar with their names, they all sound well up to the mark and beyond.
 I was especially pleased with 2 of the numbers, Skylark and Turn out the Stars, and it was good to hear less played standards such as I Can’t Help It (Betty Carter). Ms Claburn was in good voice, especially on the faster numbers where she clearly fitted in many words. Whilst I enjoyed the CD, it did seem to have a familiar sound. Perhaps I’ve just had too many similar albums to review lately!
Skylark has a bass opening and then trumpet and voice seem to fly and soar in the sky, before the voice fades out - a very effective arrangement. Turn out the Stars, a slow ballad of lost love, morphs into a swing with a skilled piano solo. Lionheart (not the Kate Bush number) is a sweet song about Claburn’s younger daughter aged 6 who is talented in martial arts, and Bird on a Wire (Metheny, not Leonard Cohen) is one of the fast vocals. The other tracks are Claburn’s My Favorite Flavor; The Fall Of Man; Colors Of Light and Steal Away (not the spiritual – It’s a good job that song titles are not subject to copyright). The other jazz standards are Infinite Wisdom; After You’ve Gone; and Daybreak.
The CD is due to be released on January 13, 2017. See www.andreaclaburn.com
Ann Alex 
Andrea Claburn (vocals); Matt Clark (piano, Fender Rhodes); Sam Bevan (acoustic & electric bass); Alan Hall (drums); John Santos (perc); Terence Brewer (acoustic & electric guitars); Erik Jekobson (trumpet & flugelhorn); Kasey Knudson (alto sax); Terry Raven (tenor sax); Rob Ewing (trombone); Mads Tolling (violin & viola); Joseph Hebert (cello)

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