Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! .
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

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

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Clark Tracey to play fundraising concert for the National Jazz Archive as a tribute to Stan Tracey

(We rarely publicise events out of the area but, when it involves the NJA - an organisation we hold dear - we sometimes make an exception as is the case here. Award-winning drummer Clark Tracey is bringing his quartet to play a fundraising concert for the National Jazz Archive on 24 November in Walthamstow, North East London, an event worth supporting for those of our readers within stomping distance of the venue so, without apology, the press release is below - Lance). 
Press release.
To celebrate what would have been Stan Tracey’s 90th year, Clark Tracey has written the definitive biography of his father (The Godfather of British Jazz), being published by Equinox Publishing. The concert will be part of the book’s launch and will feature Stan’s music and well-known jazz standards. Stan was an important British jazz pianist and composer whose distinguished career spanned six decades.
Clark Tracey is one of the UK's premier jazz men with an international career as an outstanding composer, arranger and drummer. He has won Best Drummer in various awards five times, including the British Jazz Awards in 2016 and 2017.
His group also features three other superb musicians:
Art Themen (saxes) has a major reputation on the British jazz and blues scene, and has played tenor sax in many top jazz groups. Described by Dave Gelly as ‘One of the tiny handful of undeniably perfect jazz musicians’, he was winner of the British Jazz Award for tenor sax in 2008.
Bruce Boardman (piano) has performed with many big names, run his own band, made numerous TV appearances and toured internationally.
Andrew Cleyndert (bass) is best known for his work with the late Stan Tracey. He has also worked extensively with many other jazz greats, including Lee Konitz, Art Farmer and Conte Candoli.
Clark said: “I’ve had the pleasure of playing at fundraising concerts for the National Jazz Archive several times, so it’s great to be able to bring my own quartet to help raise funds for the Archive. It’s a wonderful resource for everyone interested in the history and development of jazz in this country.”
This concert is one of a series during 2017 to raise funds to support the work of the Loughton-based National Jazz Archive.
The venue is the characterful arts centre, former Granada Cinema, Mirth, Marvel and Maud, 186 Hoe St, Walthamstow, London E17 4QH, five minutes’ walk from Walthamstow Central Station served by the Underground, Overground and numerous bus routes.

The concert starts at 8pm and tickets cost £17.
For details and to book tickets, visit: 
or phone 020 8502 4701. 

2 comments :

carstairs said...

The Granada in Hoe St., was my haunt for Saturday Morning pictures!

Pamela Young (on F/b) said...

Aww Dave and I have just got back from Walthamstow and did go to that venue.. great place .....old cinema with character worth a visit if anyone in London on that date. Not to mention that fabulous gig that it surely will be.

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