Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Kinesis + Abbie Finn Trio @ The Globe Jazz Bar, Newcastle - August 18

Abbie Finn (drums); Harry Keeble (tenor); Paul Grainger (bass).
(Review by Lance).
Two sets and both delightful with the addition of Paul Grainger on bass perhaps giving a marginal edge to the second set although some could, and one did, argue either way. Whatever, it's an awesome task to face the world without the cushion of a full rhythm section and/or another front-line instrument.
What am I saying? The young Ms. Finn is a rhythm section in herself! The support she gave the lone figure out front ensured it was never boring allowing him to fly freely with a seemingly endless flow of ideas. A fine mix of standards with a couple of originals - Steam and Machine inspired by the products of a County Durham micro-brewery - thrown in for good measure. Perhaps the Steam Machine Brewing Company also gave them the idea to play Straight No Chaser. The intro to the Monk tune was so complex that too many chasers would have made it impossible to execute with such precise timing.

St. Thomas; Someday my Prince Will Come; Moonlight in Vermont; Softly as in a (Afro-Cuban) Morning Sunrise and the aforementioned Machine. This latter number saw out the first set and
proved that Abbie had passed her A-Level History as she brought Gene Krupa back to life ("Who's she - this Jean Krupa?" I overheard someone say!)
Second set and Mr. PG transforms the Kinesis duo into the Abbie Finn Trio or is it the Harry Keeble Trio?
Equinox; Blue Bossa as a fast samba; Beatrice; Footprints; In a Sentimental Mood; a fast number I didn't recognnise and a fast number that I did recognise - Autumn Leaves.
The show closed with the Black Orpheus Theme and everyone went home happy, content that the future of jazz is in such capable hands.
Lance 

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