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

18083 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1047 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 14), 61.

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

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.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. bf).

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

Friday, June 08, 2018

DJazz: The Durham City Jazz Festival: DU Jazz Soc Septet - June 3

Dan Garel (alto sax); Zach Fox (tenor sax); Michael Williams (trumpet); Patrick Morris  (trombone); Tom Burgess (guitar); Harry Lewendon-Evans (bass);  Will Elias (drums)
(Review by Russell). 
Listening to the Du Jazz Soc Septet in Empty Shop the thought occurred that the Durham student jazz scene boasts many talented musicians. Some are music students, others are science boffins, the common denominator is their love of jazz. The 2017-18 student big band is as good as you’re likely to find and at jam sessions, you’ll hear some cracking soloists. This Empty Shop gig held particular significance in that it was the venue’s final event before closure. Empty Shop’s supremo Carlo assured one and all that Empty Shop MKII will re-emerge, in some form, in due course.
Alto saxophonist Dan Garel (soon-to-graduate student musician, jam session organiser, key DJazz figure) handled the announcements and counted the band in as and when required. Garel informed the packed room that Duke Pearson would form a major part of the one hour set, a set drawn from the bop era with a nod to the present day. Charles McPherson’s Primal Urge opened the show and right from the off the septet fired on all cylinders. The evening’s principal soloists – Garel, trumpeter Michael Williams and Zach Fox playing tenor – stepped up to the plate, blowing up the proverbial.

Duke Pearson’s Make It Good (Williams on flugelhorn), Horace Silver’s Silver Serenade (Garel first killing solo, Fox fearless in reply), then American alto saxophonist David Binney supplying a touch of the contemporary (that’s four terrific alto players associated with this year’s DJazz weekend … headliner Soweto Kinch and Dan Garel in person, McPherson and Binney in spirit). More Pearson; My Love Waits given a bossa treatment with more of Williams’ flugelhorn, followed by Pearson’s slow blues Scrap Iron featuring a steaming tenor solo by Fox, guitarist Tom Burgess piping up, and a fine solo from big band trombonist Patrick Morris.

Empty Shop was about to close its doors for the last time but not before Garel blew the roof off (not for the first time!) on Horace Silver and Fox doing likewise on a Duke Pearson closer. And that was that. Empty Shop shutting up shop, DJazz entering the final straight, it had been quite a weekend. Russell.

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