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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

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.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 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

Monday, July 03, 2017

From Buenos Aires to Newcastle - The Sotavento Big Band

(Press release)
Sunday July 9. The Globe Jazz Bar, 11 Railway St., Newcastle NE4 7AD. 8pm. £10.
The orchestra shared the stage with numerous groups of high professional level of Argentina and Europe and became one of the most active Big Band at the Buenos Aires jazz scene. Between 14 and 31 August 2015 the orchestra made his first European Tour and in July 2017 the orchestra will make his second tour of Europe.
This Big Band has the distinction of having replaced the trombones and trumpets by saxophones, giving a very warm sound.
Sotavento Big Band appeared in the most diverse national and international stages: the band performed at Jazz Festivals Pinamar, Villa Gesell, San Miguel del Monte and the subway Jazz Festival. It also played in Notorious, Jazz Voyeur Club (Hotel Meliá) and different events in the major hotels of Buenos Aires and the Atlantic coast. Between April and September 2014 the orchestra performed a weekly cycle Jazz at Cafe Concert Theatre The Cube. In 2015 he participated in the cycle “Jazz Room” in the Francisco Urondo Cultural Center of the Faculty of Philosophy at the UBA and cycle “Jazz and Architecture” organized by the Central Society of Architects. During 2016, Sotavento Big Band performed more than 20 shows.
The first European Tour was declared of “Special Cultural Interest” by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Argentina. The tour included Switzerland, France, Italy and Serbia. Sotavento Big Band was invited to perform on the main stage of “Nišville International Jazz Festival” in Serbia, one of the 10 most important festivals of Jazz in Europe and offered shows in various theatres and jazz clubs in France, Italy and Switzerland.

During the European tour, Sotavento Big Band recreated the classic big bands jazz standards of the swing era, such as Duke Ellington and Count Basie, among others. The
repertoire presented in Europe also included songs of Tango and Folklore - Astor Piazzolla especially- with arrangements made especially for the orchestra who had a remarkable public response. For example, Serbian media said it was “the first time he heard in Serbia tango in a format of Big Band”. In total, the tour lasted 20 days when the orchestra traveled more than 6,000 kilometres and performed 18 shows.

The band recorded two albums: “Sotavento Big Band” and “10 Years”. The first CD was presented at the ND Ateneo, being in the history of theatre the first jazz group to do two sold out functions. Something similar happened in 2013 with the presentation of the second disc held in The Hidden Club of Buenos Aires. The repertoire presented in the European tour will be reflected in their 3rd CD that the band will start recording in 2016.

The orchestra members are Andrés Veltri, Sergio Cisneros, Florencia Crnko, Horacio Baldassarre, Fernando Castel, Duilio Giri, Miguel Bensadon, Sergio Risoli, Fernando
Crespo, Enrique Gallo Calderon, Ezequiel Angeleri, Cristian Cor, Patricia Leguizamon and Gustavo Firmenich, director
and tango and jazz musician with a great career both nationally and internationally. Saxophonist and clarinetist Gustavo Firmenich also led his own group Tango Jazz Quartet which has already been six international tours throughout Europe, the USA, South Africa, China and Hong Kong over a period of six years.

Tickets £10 on the door or online

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