Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18573 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 437 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 28) 91

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

From This Moment On

May

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.

Sat 30: Giles Strong Quartet @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £1.50 bf.

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

June

Mon 01: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Mon 01: CW Stoneking @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Blues, Americana.

Tue 02: Mark Williams Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 02: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Postmodern Jukebox @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Thu 04: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Friday, May 12, 2017

Visual Jazz – Gina Southgate Exhibition @ the Gallery In the Hills - Saturday 6 May to Sunday 25 June

(Review by Hugh C).
Following up on Dave Clarke's BSH posting with an Art Invite we “headed to the hills” last  Sunday afternoon.  Although we often travel out West along the A69 corridor and to Hadrian's Wall we found ourselves in unfamiliar territory once past Ridley Hall and on the road towards Beltingham and beyond.  The route to the Gallery is well signposted by green fluorescent signs - it does seem further than it looks on the map though!  On arriving at South Barn there is ample parking.

The gallery owner, Dennis Kilgallon, moved his creative business here from Kirkharle Courtyard a few years ago.  Some of his larger sculptures are placed around the car park and in the courtyard at the back.  The gallery is in a large, well-lit barn conversion and is accessed by a door in the side of the building.  A few pictures and artefacts are displayed on the ground floor but the main gallery is on the first floor and accessed by stairs from the lobby.  Attaining the top of the stairs one is greeted by a large airy gallery with plenty of natural light from expansive windows and large skylights in the roof.  Dennis kindly invites visitors to partake of a cup of (real) coffee.  Gina Southgate's impressive pictures (predominantly of jazz gigs, but landscapes as well) are displayed to good effect at all levels of the gallery.  Judith Davies' ceramics (some of which are made to be held and felt, as well as seen) are admixed with some of Dennis Kilgallon's own work.
The whole is very impressive (so much so that I was bought a print – which I know nothing about of course!).  The view from the back window and the garden is superb, looking over the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  A drive back East via Whitfield, turning left out of the farm road is well worth it.
The gallery is open Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays 11am to 5pm.  Visits can also be made during the week but Dennis would like you to ring beforehand to avoid disappointment.
Hugh C.

Website:  http://denniskilgallon.co.uk/ Telephone:  07496 754601

2 comments :

Pam Young (on f/b) said...

Nice review Hugh. Definitely worth a ride out of town at the weekend.
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More Facebook comments said...

Gina Southgate Hey Pamela the print he bought was of your original Marilyn painting
Pamela Young Wow excellent �� xx
Gina Southgate Popular choice and you saw it first!
Pamela Young Yeah! I'm so happy I have that painting in my dining room . ❤ love it xx

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