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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 ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

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.

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

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Jam Session @ The Jazz Café - August 21

(Review by Lance).
The last of the summer jam at 'The Caff' - back again on Sept. 11. Last, but certainly not least, the greatest free show in town didn't let the side down and already folks are getting impatient waiting for the start of the new season. 
As ever, the trio set the pace and, with Paul Edis at the house upright it was quite a pace. I Hear a Rhapsody; a Tatumesque intro to Tea For Two and some locked hands chording on September in the Rain showed us why this Paul (there were three of them here tonight) is held in such high regard. With him all the way, the Grainger Paul and Walker, Rob, kept things buoyant in readiness for the jammers who were massing at the bar and primed for action.
First up was Abbie Finn and Neville Hartley. Abbie, fresh from her session at the Globe last Saturday slotted in well behind Neville who delighted the crowd with Tangerine and Pennies From Heaven. The Grainger Paul quipped that with a name like Hartley a jam session was home from home for him (or words to that effect!)
The frontline changed and it was the turn of Ray Johnson and George Sykes to offer Love For Sale and On the Sunny Side of the Street. Grainger reminded us of how, back in the day, love was on sale albeit not on the sunny side of Pink Lane. Ah, the memories...
Rob returned for You'd Be So Nice to Come Home to and then Niffi delivered an ultimatum - Love me or Leave me. It must have been the latter option that was taken up as she then moaned stridently. I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues.
All change and now it was time for the younger set to go East of the Sun. Ben Lawrence, John Pope, James Metcalf and Francis Tulip linked up with Rob Walker for what was a somewhat chaotic rendition and, despite the quality of the musicians, it was one of the more forgettable moments of the evening.
A degree of stability returned when Callum Mellis stepped up for a lyrical interpretation of Misty.
The arrival of David Gray meant the blue touchpaper was about to be lit and it duly was in the company of Sykes, the two Pauls and Abbie.
On Green Dolphin Street and Equinox were dealt with explosively before Sykes gave way to Paul number 3 - Gowland that is. Soprano and trombone, may not be your everyday frontline but they gelled on I'll Remember April and I Can't Get Started.
It doesn't get much better than this!
Photos.
Lance.
Paul Grainger (bass); Paul Edis (piano); Rob Walker (drums) + Neville Hartley (trombone); Abbie Finn (drums); George Sykes (tenor); Ray Johnson (trumpet); Niffi Osiyemi (vocal); Francis Tulip (guitar); Ben Lawrence (piano); John Pope (bass); James Metcalf/Callum Mellis (flugel); David Gray (trombone); Paul Gowland (soprano).
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