Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18992 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 856 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 11) 35.

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

October.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 4:45pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: NW FRQNC @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. Selina Albright, Gianni Vancini.
Wed 14: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 15: Leah Kirk: A Strange Affair @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Leah Kirk (vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 15: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. PJO w. guest Graham Hardy (trumpet).

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Ancient Infinity Orchestra @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 16: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01. adv.; £15.00. on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick. 8:00pm. Free.

Sat 17: SunOrbitUs @ Culture House, Sunderland. 11:00am - 5:00pm. Closing event in a year-long piece of music. 11:00am-1:00pm Improvisation workshop w. Faye MacCalman; 2:00-5:00pm Collective Improvised Performance by Sunderland residents. SOLD OUT!
Sat 17: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 17: Martin Taylor @ Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £48.72; £43.37. Solo guitar. SOLD OUT!

Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Jump jive.
Sun 18: Guisborough Big Band @ Redcar Rugby Club. 5:00-8:00pm. ‘Charity Big Band Birthday Bash’ in aid of Parkinson’s UK & Young Sounds UK. Free (donations on the door).
Sun 18: Martin Taylor @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £23.30. Solo guitar.
Sun 18: Ben Crosland Quartet with Steve Waterman @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Jam Session @ Dun Cow, Jesmond - May 23.

Mark Williams (guitar); Paul Grainger (bass); Russ Morgan (drums) + Kay Usher (violin); Paul Ruddick (alto); Matt MacKellar (drums); Kevin Green (soprano); Pete Gilligan (piano); Dan Garel (alto).
(Review by Lance).
There comes a time in a person's life when he or she realises something special is happening. In music, and jazz in particular, that moment sometimes happens and sometimes it doesn't.
Tonight it happened!
The jam was progressing nicely. Mark Williams, at his most sensitive, got the set underway with I Should Care and all three slugged it out on Solar culminating with a knockout solo from Russ - Solar power indeed!
Kay Usher swung On the Sunny Side of the Street following up with a faster than usual Willow Weep For Me- it worked.
Next to answer the call was Paul Ruddick who blew the socks off  Nature Boy before playing that most challenging of tunes - Body and Soul. He met the challenge full on without a safety net or an iPad for guidance. Spurring him on was Matt MacKellar which is always an incentive. 
A first timer, Kevin Green, entered the lion's den with only a soprano saxophone for protection. Pete Gilligan took up his position at the keyboard ready for battle to commence. Kevin admitted that this was his first ever jam with major-league players and, despite a nervous start, he came through Autumn Leaves unscathed, gaining confidence as he progressed.
He'll be back.
Dan Garel is probably the best of the younger breed of altoists doing the rounds and How Deep is the Ocean? did nothing to dispel that notion.
I began this review by mentioning that something special happened which it did at about 9:45pm.
Stella By Starlight has been worked over so many times that one can ofttimes take it for granted - not tonight though.
It was as if this was the eve of Armageddon. Garel, Gilligan and MacKellar playing above and beyond mere mortals. Grainger holding it all together - why wasn't I recording this? If you weren't there you won't believe me!
In the cold light of morning, I probably won't believe it myself!
To bring us down to earth,  Kay stepped up with Dan for a somewhat confusing My Funny Valentine and the full cast jammed on the Black Orpheus Theme.
Phew!
Lance.
Photos.
PS: Next week - Lindsay Hannon and Bradley Johnston.
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