Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18383 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 247 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 17 ), 57

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

March

Mon 30: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 30: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 31: Bede Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Albert Hills Wright (alto sax); Finn Carter (piano); Michael Dunlop (double bass).

April

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Musicians playing classical & orchestral music.
Thu 02: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 21s only.
Thu 02: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 02: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00. adv..
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Saturday, March 31, 2018

Jazz in the sticks - Stanhope, Co. Durham. March 29

St Thomas Church Hall in Stanhope could be said to be in the ‘back of beyond’ but that didn’t deter Bebop Spoken Here’s intrepid explorer cum reporter Tony Eales from venturing into the unknown on Thursday evening. Rations packed, GPS switched on, Eales headed for St Thomas’ Church Hall in the Weardale village of Stanhope. Would TE be the only person to turn up to hear Alan Barnes and Dave Newton play some jazz? Come to think of it, would Barnes and Newton find the place? As TE popped his head around the door he was greeted by Barnesy: Hello Tony!

The ever-popular reeds and piano duo had made it, and they shouldn’t have been surprised to find BSH’s Eales in the congregation. Would it be a ‘jazz’ audience? TE didn’t recognise anyone as the audience turned up, it transpires they were locals and were looking forward to a first ever gig in the church hall. A good few dozen made the effort, and TE reports that at the end of the evening there was much applause for their guests, Messrs Barnes and Newton.
Russell 

1 comment :

John Taylor said...

My friend Alan and I went up to the Alan Barnes/Dave Newton gig at Wingates – west of Morpeth last night (Friday). Other than a slight problem with limited car parking it was an excellent night
No mic for Alan (Barnes) so we missed parts of his jokes The usual varied programme. Nice to see Dereck Cogger and his wife among an audience of around 60. I should have taken some flyers for Wednesday at AJC

Blog Archive