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 Stedman (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

Sunday, February 12, 2017

CD Review: Mark Masters Ensemble - Blue Skylight

Mark Masters (arranger); Gary Foster (alto); Jerry Pinter (tenor/soprano); Gene Cipriano (tenor); Adam Schroeder (baritone); Ed Czach (piano); Putter Smith (bass); Kendall Kay (drums). On some tracks, Ron Stout (trumpet); and Les Benedict (trombone) replace Cipriano and Schroeder on the Mingus pieces.
(Review by Lance).
An album devoted to the music of Mingus and Mulligan had my mouth watering and my ears in listening mode. With the added attraction of an Edward Hopper painting on the cover, I knew this one couldn't be bad.
It wasn't, it was seriously good!
Masters has captured the mood of both jazz legends without plagiarism and, with the help of some superb soloists, created a masterpiece - no pun intended.
Putter Smith's cv includes Blakey, Monk and Ellington. Cipriano's credits range from Henry Mancini to Frank Zappa with Miles and Gil in between. He also ghosted Tony Curtis' sax playing in the film Some Like it Hot! Gary Foster graduated via the big bands of Toshiko, Tabackin, Clare Fischer and Louis Bellson. Jerry Pinter played tenor with Woody Herman which is, in jazz terms, equivalent to wearing the Newcastle United number 9 shirt back in the day... 
The others may not have as many paper credits but, when it comes to putting up they aren't found wanting. Benedict's trombone is beautiful - Jimmy Knepper with the edges smoothed off except on Eclipse where he plays like 'Tricky Sam' Nanton. Schroeder provides Mulliganesque baritone and Stout is more Jon Eardley than Chet and even more himself! Czach and Kay combine with Smith for a solid rhythm section totally au fait with the leader's intent.
I know it's only February but, come December 31, this has got to be in the shake-up and the good news is that the release date on Capri Records is February 17 only 5 days away.
Listen here.
Lance.
Programme:
Mingus: Monk, Bunk and Vice Versa; So Long Eric; Peggy's Blue Skylight; Duke Ellington's Sound of Love; Eclipse. 
Mulligan: Out Back of the Barn; Wallflower; Strayhorn 2; Apple Core; Birds of a Feather; Motel. 
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