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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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

Sunday, June 03, 2018

DJazz: The Durham City Jazz Festival: TESTT Space - June 2

(Review by Russell).
Confession time! Your correspondent stood on platform 3 at Newcastle Central Station chatting to Mary B waiting for a slightly delayed southbound train. Here it is. All aboard! Still chatting to Mary, the onboard announcement went, more or less, unheard. A while later: Tickets please! This train doesn’t stop at Durham, next stop Darlington. Long story short, Newcastle-Durham via the scenic route!                        
The forecast was for torrential rain at some point during the afternoon. The outdoor stage down in Fowler’s Yard wasn’t the place to be exposed to the elements – rainwater and electrics don’t mix.  The DJazz contingency plan was implemented. For Fowler’s Yard read TESTT Space. A disused office space above Durham Bus Station came to the rescue. Home to ‘creatives’ as they’re known, Empty Shop’s North Road satellite venue did the job. It’s a basic facility but at least it was dry.

Chronotic Brass (Durham University students) first up. A good set apparently, your correspondent was en route from Darlington. Break Out Brass Band - the all-female brass outfit (photo 1) was in full flow at TESTT Space - funked and grooved, mixing traditional New Orleans’ tunes (Crescent City) with the more contemporary sound of the Hypnotic Brass Band and the Youngbloods.

Rob and Evie Sing! lept off Saturday’s page in the DJazz 2018 festival programme. Rob Singleton and Evie Hill are at the end of their first year as students at Durham University and they’ve become familiar faces – and voices! – at DU Jazz Soc jam sessions. The duo kept it simple singing tunes in turn supported by some of DU Jazz Soc’s leading lights…Dan Garel (alto sax), award-winning Ollie Farley (guitar), uber cool bassist Dylan Purches and drummer Dan Sherington. Looking around the rather basic space, Evie pondered Isn’t It Romantic? Rob, carefree, suggested, with just a little Rat Pack swagger It’s Only a Paper Moon. And so they went; Evie…I’m in the Mood for Love, Rob…It Could Happen to You, Evie…I’m Glad There is You. Altoist Dan Garel* has more than made his mark on the local scene – organiser, mover and shaker, and one great alto player – and his presence on the session offered reassurance to first years Rob and Evie. So too, guitarist Ollie Farley. The pair of them sharing the instrumental solo spotlight, Farley deservedly winning applause for a sensitive contribution on My Foolish Heart.
Russell

*Dan Garel will shortly be moving on, he is soon to graduate. He’ll be a big miss. The good news is, at least for the next two or three years, Rob Singleton and Evie Hill will be around. Check them out.        

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