Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ YOLO, Ponteland. 7:00pm. ‘Swing & Jazz Night’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 18: Joe Steels & Friends @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! .
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

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

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Jazz Café Press Release

A busy and varied programme next week at The Jazz Cafe with the return of a long-established regular event on Tuesday, a unique one-off on Saturday and a Cafe debut for a re-named Tyneside trio on Friday. In the following week, on the 27th, look out for the return of award-winning pianist Mark Pringle, not with his trio but with trumpet playing partner Tom Syson. Unusually for one of our duos this one is on a short national tour, their next stop after The Cafe being the Royal Festival Hall on London's South Bank.

Tuesday 17th  January 8.00pm –  Tuesday Jam – Admission Free. The first Tuesday Jam after the Christmas break and guitarist Mark Williams joins house trio regulars Paul Grainger (bass) and Russ Morgan (drums) in extending a warm welcome to all jazz instrumentalists and singers to join them and jam together. A great night's entertainment guaranteed. (Peter Gilligan will return to Tuesday Jam on 21st March, not this week as the Guardian Guide says.)                                                                   

Thursday 19th January 8.00pm– The Thursday Session – Admission Free –  This will be the final chance to enjoy one of these Thursday Sessions which will not be continuing after tonight. All Traditional Folk musicians welcome. Bring an instrument and join in or just sit back and enjoy the music.                                                                                                                                                                             
Friday 20th January  9.00pm –Triggerlawross –  Admission Free. Pianistic polymath Alan Law’s re-named trio offers original compositions plus freer improvisatory moments and - with the musicians' shared history of playing with Newcastle's thriving Latin scene - plenty of good time grooves alongside the artier treats. The other members are bassist Katy Trigger and drummer Matti Ross. 

Saturday 21st January 9.00pm  Jazz North East & The Jazz Cafe present  Dutch Treat - £3.00 on the door.
On Sunday 22nd nine Dutch and two UK musicians will be performing all afternoon & evening at the Lit & Phil in Jazz North East's 'Going Dutch' event for which they will be rehearsing at The Jazz Cafe on Saturday afternoon.

In the evening, at The Cafe, an as yet unknown number of the eleven will be reviving the music of Sean Bergin and Chris McGregor, exiles from apartheid South Africa. Bergin settled in Amsterdam and had a major influence on the jazz scene there.McGregor and The Blue Notes settled in London, merging with the top British players to create the great Brotherhood of Breath big band. Expect a unique blend of township jazz, bebop and free.

Booking Now:
Fri 27/1 - Mark Pringle / Tom Syson Duo £5
2/2 - Gerry Richardson Big Idea £6 / £4 under 18s
Jazz Cafe from noon Tues to Sat. 0191 222 9882

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