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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Mon 15: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 16: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Tue 16: A Jazzy Xmas @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Tue 16: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £29.00 (inc. bf). ‘Festive Lunch’. VCJ on stage 12 noon (three sets 'til 4:00pm).
Wed 17: Lazy River Band @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Veronica Perrin, Chris Perrin, John Farragher, Phil Rutherford
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Wed 17: A Jazzy Xmas @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ YOLO, Ponteland. 7:00pm. ‘Swing & Jazz Night’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 18: Joe Steels & Friends @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! .
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackosn’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.

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

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Village Jazz Festival 30 Aug-2 Sept 2018 Chapel Allerton

(Press release)
The ever popular Village Jazz Festival in Chapel Allerton Leeds returns this week - running from Thursday 30 August through to Sunday 2 September with venues throughout Chapel Allerton and featuring the usual entertaining and eclectic mix of jazz, blues and salsa – something for all tastes! Mostly Leeds based bands, representing the amazing breadth of the local jazz scene, and with the headline international jazz star Julian Argüelles starting off his UK tour at Seven Arts.

The festival starts with the Big Easy swing band on the Thursday 30 August featuring the swing music of the 20’s and 30’s with the greatest tunes by the giants of swing; Louis Armstrong, Louis Prima, Nina Simone and many more household names, added their own interesting arrangements to bring you a set of the finest swing tunes (at Seven Arts 8pm). Support is from jazz songstress Emily Brown with her quartet.

On Friday evening we feature Leeds pianist Chris Lloyd and his trio playing homage to Oscar Peterson “Lloyd Plays Peterson” (7.30-8.30pm) followed by a Jazz Jam session (9-10pm) at the School of Philosophy 64 Woodland Ln, Leeds LS7 4PD - this is a new venue, immediately behind the main festival stage (31 Aug 7.30-10pm). You are welcome to come and join in the jazz jam session just bring yourself, your voice, your instrument and your tunes you want to play. There will be a jazz trio there to support you led by Chris Bland on piano.

On Saturday 1 Sept during the afternoon, we have a free performance by Alice Higgins and "Tiptoe" in the bar at Seven Arts 3-4pm

The headline festival act @Seven Arts on Saturday 1 Sept 8pm is the Julian Argüelles Quartet led by saxophonist, composer and Loose Tubes alumnus Julian Argüelles. Julian joins up with some of the UK’s leading younger jazz musicians in the form of Ivo Neame on piano and the powerful bass and drums duo of Sam Lasserson and James Maddren, displaying Argüelles’ consistent talent for freewheeling jazz ventures packed with striking compositions. Neame is a fluently inventive pianist. This is a jazz group to the core, yet it is full of non-jazz surprises! Julian will be taking a jazz masterclass at Seven Arts (5.30-6.30pm) – some along and listen!

The Sunday afternoon open-air concert of jazz blues and salsa bands in Regent Street 12.00-6pm will get you dancing! It includes Nick Svarc’s blues band “Who Knows” and popular soul jazz band “Atlantic Crossover”, Sueli Gil’s Africa- Brasil, local big band the North Leeds Jazz Orchestra and Leeds wacky answer to Sun Ra – the Ancient Infinity Orchestra

The complete Village Jazz programme is as follows
Thus 30  AugBig Easy + Emily Brown Quartet Seven Arts (8-11.00) £12/10 (Under 25’s £6)

Fri 31 Aug – “Lloyd Plays Peterson” + Jazz Jam at School of Philosophy (evening 7.30-10) £5

Sat 1 Sept
Sat 3pm -4pm – jazz in the bar at Seven Arts with “Tiptoe” – free
Sat 5pm – Jazz Masterclass at Seven Arts by Julian Argüelles 5.30pm-6.30pm £5 (free to concert attendees)
Sat 1 Sept – Julian Argüelles Quartet + Tiptoe at Seven Arts  (8-11.00pm) £12/10 (Under 25’s £6)

Sun afternoon 2 SeptJazz Blues and Salsa in Regent Street 12.00-6pm Bucket collection
12 North Leeds Jazz Orchestra
1.15 Atlantic Crossover”,
2.30 Ancient Infinity Orchestra
3.45 Sueli Gil’s Africa- Brasil
5 Nick Svark’s blues band “Who Knows

Presented by Chapel Allerton Festival and JazzLeeds. Financial support is from the Arts Council England

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