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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 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: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
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: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: 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

Sunday, January 01, 2017

Preview: Southport Jazz Festival @ Royal Clifton Hotel - February 2 - 5, 2017.

(Preview by Steve T).
This is an annual event in Count [Tony] Eales calendar, which should be recommendation enough in itself. I've almost made it a few times and even had tickets for Jean Toussaint doing Trane a couple of years back, but something came up. No chance of missing this one; there's plenty for everyone and some specific stuff of real interest to me.
The Weave start things off on Thursday evening; a Liverpool sextet - two trumpets, guitar, and rhythm section.
The Jam Experiment (sax, trombone, guitar and rhythm) kick off Friday, followed by the Swingtime Big Band with Emma Holcroft and Clare Teal, which, unsurprisingly has sold out, but the day ends with another big attraction in the shape of Trichotomy, Australia’s own forward-thinking, experimental piano trio who've achieved wide acclaim.
The sax, organ, drums trio of Seamus Blake starts things off on Saturday morning, featuring the omnipresent (and brilliant) Ross Stanley and James Maddren respectively.
This is followed by a highly intriguing proposition: Jeremy Price (bone), Andy Panayi (sax) and Jez Franks (guitar). 
The Train and the River is most famous for featuring on the film of the Newport Jazz Festival of 58. In the liner notes to an album by original artists Brookmeyer, Giuffre and Hall, Roy Carr observes it should have been a recipe for disaster but wasn't, and I'm really excited to hear what these three Birmingham Conservatoire heavyweights will bring to it.    
There's another major British Jazz vocalist in Liane Carroll, for anyone unlucky enough to have missed tickets for the Swingtime Big Band, followed by a standard sax quartet, a recipe for superlatives, and a late bash with another quartet, this time fronted by trumpet and guitar, which sounds equally mouth-watering.
Sunday starts with singer Ben Cox and his band, including rising bass star Flo Moore. This is followed by more from Birmingham Conservatoire and this time their Ellington Orchestra, with special interest to me as a massive Duke fan and because number one son has depped at a rehearsal.
Alan Barnes is guaranteed to be a highlight of any festival and here he's again joined by his sublime all-star octet who lit up the whole of the North East from Ushaw College at Christmas.
Closing the festival is the Dixon, Walker, Chisnall Quintet (sax, guitar, piano)  and, while it's perhaps unfair to single out one, I have a bit of an interest in the guitar and consider Mike Walker one of the greatest guitarists anywhere right now, with an influence on every emerging UK Jazz guitarist, whether they realise it or not.
With apologies for the length of this preview, I feel it's justified by the inordinate quality of the line-up, which any Jazz Festival in any major city would be justifiably proud of.
Tickets for weekend, day or individual sessions are available from: 
www.southportjazzfestival.com or by phoning 07759 994800.
Steve T.

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