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, September 04, 2018

Press Release - Middlesbrough Jazz Weekender (October 19-21)

The official press release for the forthcoming 'Middlesbrough Jazz Weekender", is posted below. The event celebrates the 40th anniversary of the now legendary Cleveland International Jazz Festival when Ayresome Park, then the home of Middlesbrough Football Club, figuratively changed the name of the stadium to Awesome Park - such was the array of star names that were featured on that memorable weekend in July 1978.
Sadly, the big bands of Lionel Hampton and Buddy Rich are no longer with us but NYJO still is. And, although George Melly, Ella Fitzgerald and Marian Montgomery have also passed on - along with Art Blakey, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans and Freddy Hubbard - Chris Barber is still around and will be featured on Saturday evening (October 20) with, for many, the highlight of the festival being the finale by the Mingus Big Band (pictured left). The full program is listed below in the official press release.
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(Press Release)
ARTISTS tipped for some of the music industry’s most prestigious awards will be wowing audiences in Middlesbrough next month.

Middlesbrough Jazz Weekender will showcase The National Youth Jazz Orchestra, newly reformed Tees Valley Youth Big Band and MOBO-nominated/Mercury Prize nominees Roller Trio on Friday, October 19 at Middlesbrough Town Hall.

Nominated for MOBO’s Best Jazz Act in its 17th award ceremony watched by over one million viewers, Roller Trio was also nominated for a Mercury Prize with their eponymous debut studio album in the same year.
Chris Sharkey, James Mainwaring and Luke Reddin-Williams make up this jazz/rock trio (picttured left).
Built from sound fragments of Leeds nightlife formed and reformed through the musical intelligence and instrumental brilliance of the three musicians it’s an exhilarating, rollicking ride.
The music is dark, gritty and urban - menacing bass lines underpinned by squalling improvising from guitar and sax - ’dark, menacing and bass heavy – the new sound of UK jazz’ according to BBC6 Music’s Giles Peterson.

The newly renovated Middlesbrough Town Hall also sees high-class acts such as Joe Lycett, Richard Ashcroft and Jason Manford on this year’s bill.

From Mercury Award nominee Laura Jurd to Grammy winner the Mingus Big Band, the Jazz Weekender programmed by Ros Rigby will run from Friday, October 19 to Sunday, October 21.

Friday’s programme will see Jazz North presents Alt-Shift-J as part of an initiative to involve more young people in jazz. The bands include Break Out Brass BandUbunyeBeats & Pieces Big Band and Roller Trio.

The National Youth Jazz Orchestra will be kicking off Saturday showcasing music from the likes of Guy BarkerMelba Liston and BBC Proms performer Laura Jurd.

Jurd’s ground-breaking band Dinosaur will take us into the Chris Barber Band and an evening of cabaret seated jazz with his ten-piece ensemble.

Sunday will have fun for the family with Family Jazz All-Stars and How To Make The Words Dance with Pete Churchill.

Sunday Afternoon Jazz in the Crypt will see performances by Later with Jools Holland star Hailey Tuck, AuroraThe Ushaw Ensemble and The Printmakers featuring ECM recording artist singer Norma Winstone.

The Jazz Weekender finale will be performed by the Mingus Big Band who picked up a Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 2010.
The 14-piece band is known for ‘sheer melodic and rhythmic and structural originality’ according to the New Yorker.

  • Full details and tickets for all shows including Roller Trio are available from Middlesbrough Town Hall Box Office on 01642 729 729 or www.middlesbroughtownhall.co.uk

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