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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.

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.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. POSSIBLE CANCELLATION. See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

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

Monday, April 24, 2017

Preview: Darlington Jazz Festival 2017

(Preview by Russell)
This year’s Darlington Jazz Festival is almost here. From Thursday evening (April 27th) Darlington town centre comes alive with four days of top quality jazz at several welcoming venues. Trumpeter Matt Roberts gets things under way with his now traditional Jazz Improvisation Workshop. This popular event runs from 6:00pm ’til 9:00pm on Thursday at Crown Street Library. Register at 5:30, for a six o’clock start. Matt is an experienced, inspirational educator, and it is all but essential that you register in advance. Email: darlingtonjazzfestival@live.com.
Friday evening comes with a guarantee…a hard bop session the like of which was last heard sixty years ago in NYC. Jazz After Dark in the room above the Voodoo Café features the Matt Roberts Sextet playing the music of some of Roberts’ trumpet heroes. Expect to hear Miles, Fats Navarro, Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard. Last year’s gig lives on in the memory. As Matt is a local lad made good (living and working in London) this is the gig that other musicians turn out to hear. Twelve months ago the room was heaving, some stood on the stairs, this was 52nd Street! An electric atmosphere, Matt’s A-list sextet blew the roof off the place. If you’re within one hundred miles of Darlington, all roads lead to 84 Skinnergate. Doors at 8:30pm, fireworks from 9:00pm!
Saturday 29th calls for real stamina. Beginning at 12:30pm, adjacent to the Joseph Pease statue at the junction of High Row and Bondgate, there will be an afternoon of free outdoor performances. An opportunity to spot the stars of tomorrow, the Darlington Little Big Band and the South Regional Wind Band are scheduled to perform during the afternoon. Meanwhile, in Mechanics’ Yard, at the Camra award winning Quakerhouse pub, Jazz Comes to the Quakerhouse, kicking off at 1:00pm. It’s free admission all afternoon although donations would be appreciated, and, with an array of first rate musicians on show, a fiver in a collection bucket will seem like a bargain! Two pianists to listen to – Rick Laughlin working with ex-Voice of the North Jazz Orchestra bassist Keith Peberdy and drummer Stu Ellerton, and another local lad, Dean Stockdale entertaining the audience with material from his new album Origin, and, perhaps, some Oscar Peterson. And, whatever you do, don’t miss the Abbie Finn Quartet. Abbie, from this neck of the woods, currently studying at Leeds College of Music, is an outstanding drummer. Expect the Quakerhouse to be standing room only.

The big set piece occasion at this year’s Darlington Jazz Festival is a concert appearance by Dave O’Higgins with the award winning (!) Durham Alumni Big Band at the Majestic Theatre. At seven o’clock on Saturday evening the Art Deco venue is likely to put up the ‘SOLD OUT’ notices. This is a new festival venue, tickets are £12.00. And charts associated with Stan Kenton, Count Basie and Billy May will make for a splendid occasion. Shaune Eland conducts the Alumni, and, as a bonus, there will be a support set beginning at 7:15pm, from yet another award winning band, the Durham County Youth Big Band. To obtain your tickets telephone the Majestic Theatre box office – 01325 482848. And your stamina-sapping day doesn’t end there. It’s all back to the Quakerhouse pub for a late night jam session. Last year the place was so busy some stood in Mechanics’ Yard – punters and musicians.

Sunday 30th - International Jazz Day! - starts early. From 10:30am Emma Fisk and James Birkett will entertain early birds with Joe Venuti-Eddie Lang numbers and more. Free admission/donations at Hash Music Box on Coniscliffe Road. Free! A world class duo, free! At two o’clock the Darlington Quakers and Friends Meeting House hosts Vocal Collective and Locomotive Rhythm. A double bill, the Vocal Collective choir will entertain with traditional and up-to-the-minute tunes. Locomotive Rhythm presents a new work celebrating the area’s railway heritage. Tickets £5.00.

To close this year’s Darlington Jazz Festival Rick Laughlin, Keith Peberdy and Stu Ellerton will play the music of Chick Corea at Hash Music Box. Starting at six o’clock (tickets £6.00.), the gig will also feature the Alumni All Stars. Further details from: www.darlingtonjazzfestival.co.uk. The Darlington Jazz Festival is a highlight of the year. Go on, treat yourself.  
Russell.                                       

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