Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (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

18504 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 368 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 7 ) 22

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

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Hey Remember This @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 14: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Philip Larkin’s Jazz Experiment.
Thu 14: Jerron Paxton @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb country blues.
Thu 14: Solcade @ the Bridge Hotel, Newcastle. 7:00pm. EP launch. Rivkala & co..
Thu 14: Jacob Egglestone @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Egglestone (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass); Jack Littlewood (drums) & guests.
Thu 14: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 15: Conor Emery Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Line-up Emery (trombone); Alix Shepherd (piano); John Pope (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 adv., £15.00 on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Puppini Sisters @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!

Sat 16: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. God Bless the Child - Lady Day!. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 16: Kaberry Big Band @ the Seahorse Pub, Hillheads Rd., Whitley Bay NE23 8HR. From 7:30pm. £15.00
Sat 16: Lady Nade @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. ‘Lady Nade sings Nina Simone’.

Sun 17: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Forum Theatre, Billingham. 7:30pm.
Sun 17: QOW Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Spike Wells, Riley Stone-Lonergan & Eddie Myer.

Mon 18: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 18: Mark Williams Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 19: GoGo Penguin + Daudi Matsiko @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £22.00 + £4.40 bf.
Tue 19: Danny Lowndes’ Hot Club @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £5.00 bf.
Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Mark Robertson (drums).

Monday, February 19, 2018

Alex Mendham in concert near York this Friday (Feb. 23)



Alex Mendham and his Orchestra perform the sophisticated and stylish music of the 1920’s and 30s with the modern energy and passion of their youthful years. They epitomise Hollywood’s golden age.
When it comes to presenting the sound, charm and white-tie elegance of vintage Hollywood: from their original instruments and pomade that slicks down their hair to their sharp tuxedos and spectacular dresses, no detail is overlooked.
Formed under the leadership and direction of their charismatic founder and singer Alex Mendham, this show Orchestra complete with singing duo, The Dunlop Sisters present a unique combination of dance band music and film scores from the Hollywood musical. 
Highly in demand, the Orchestra has performed at iconic venues throughout the U.K and toured internationally from Mountain Resorts of Europe to Palaces in Russia, wowing audiences with their displays of showmanship and grand scale visuals.

The Orchestra is at home in concert show settings recreating the opulence of vintage Hollywood. Amidst a busy show schedule, they also perform for an array of private high end luxury events and launches that have included such renowned venues as Kensington Palace.

Sell out shows across the U.K include Cheltenham, Harrogate, Petworth, Canterbury Snape Proms and Wilderness Music Festival, alongside The Orchestra appearances across BBC radio and television. 
Their brand new album ‘On With The Show’, Alex Mendham & His Orchestra pay homage to the great songwriters George Gershwin, Cole Porter and many others.
YouTube.
“Alex and the Orchestra are incredible, there’s nothing quite like them!” – Jonathan Ross – BBC Radio 2
About Alex Mendham
Alex Mendham, born 1989 in Essex, has always been entranced with the music and elegance of the 1920s and 30s.

Mendham studied the saxophone with legendary American musician Bob Wilber. He was singing from an early age and began working in Paddington in his early twenties to finance a long held dream.

In 2010 Alex called the first auditions to create a young, exhilarating show band similar to those in the glamourous black and white movies he had seen at home as a boy.

Throughout these formative years, Alex made several visits to America to meet and learn from various veteran musicians including saxophonist Al Gallodoro, the last living musician to have performed with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. 

Shortly after forming his own Orchestra, Alex began a long-term association with the famous Savoy Hotel, in becoming resident bandleader, a position held for over 5 years.

     Ray Robson
     Friday February 23: King's Theatre, Queen Ethelburga's College
     Thorpe Underwood Hall, OuseburnYO26 9SS, York

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