Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18602 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 466 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 8) 17

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

From This Moment On

June

Mon 08: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 08: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 5:15pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Mon 08: Dave Bristow Quintet @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £22.00., £11.00., £5.50. Bristow (piano); Christian Altehülshorst (trumpet); Félix Hardouin (alto sax); Gabriel Pierre (double bass); Guillaume Prévost (drums).

Tue 09: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Tue 09: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 09: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 8:10pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.

Wed 10: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 10: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 10: John Garner & John Pope @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 11: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 11: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: MNO of the GASbook.
Thu 11: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 2:45pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Thu 11: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.
Thu 11: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Thu 11: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 11: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 11: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free

Fri 12: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 12: Pete Tanton & Alan Law @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Tanton (trumpet, vocals); Law (piano).
Fri 12: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Cleveland Bay Hotel, Eaglescliffe. 9:00pm. Free.

Sat 13: Ladies of Midnight Blue + Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington NE63 9YF. Free. From 10:00am. Ladies of Midnight Blue (3:00-3:45pm); Northern Monkey Brass Band (4:00-4:45pm).
Sat 13: Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 13: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Saltburn Bandstand. 2:30-4:30pm. Free.
Sat 13: Courtney Pine @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £35.80. Pine (saxophones); Robert Mitchell (piano); Rio Kai (double bass); Romarna Campbell (drums). ‘A Modern-Day Jazz Story 1986 - 2026’.

Sun 14: Front Porch Band: Swing Tyne’s Swing Social @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations (£5.00. - £10.00. suggested). Swing dance event w. taster class (12:30pm).
Sun 14: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 14: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Doctor Jazz @ The Old Church, Sacriston, Durham. 3:00-5:00pm . Free (donations welcome). New Orleans, blues & classic 20th century songs. Food & soft drinks available, BYOB.
Sun 14: Eddie Gripper Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Gripper (piano); Clem Saynor (double bass); Patrick Barrett-Donlon (drums). Americana album tour.

Tuesday, November 06, 2018

2018 British Jazz Awards Results Announced

(Press release)
After receiving votes more than 5500 jazz fans across the length and breadth of the UK, we are pleased to announce the winners of the 2018 British Jazz Awards.

Now in their 32nd year, the British Jazz Awards were established to give the array of talented jazz musicians in this country they deserve by allowing the gig-going, record buying public on they thought the best performers, bands and releases were in the last 12 months, via post and an online survey.

The four nominations in each of the 16 categories were selected by a group of respected figures within the Jazz community, a list of whom is included below. In addition, voters had the chance to vote for any musicians not nominated who they considered worthy of a placing as a ‘write-in’ vote – the highest placed of these from each category are included in the final listings

Despite the continued brilliance of all of the nominees over years (and in some cases, decades), a majority of last year’s winners failed to make it two in a row, with Winston Clifford topping the polls in the Drums category for the first time while Kansas Smitty’s House Band and The Gareth Lockrane Big Band making debut wins in the Small Group and Big Band categories. In addition, it was third time lucky for young trumpet star Alexandra Ridout, who walked away with the hotly contested Rising Star award, given to the best up and coming musician under 25.
The results in full are as follows :
Trumpet
1
Enrico Tomasso     
2
Bruce Adams
3
Freddie Gavita
4
Henry Lowther
5
James Copus

Trombone
1
Mark Nightingale
2
Dennis Rollins
3
Mark Bassey
4
Ian Bateman
5
Annie Whitehead
Clarinet
1
Alan Barnes
2
Adrian Cox  
3
Pete Long
4
Julian Marc Stringle
5
Mark Crooks
Alto Sax
1
Alan Barnes
2
Soweto Kinch
3
Sam Mayne
4
Paul Towndrow
5
Mike Chillingworth

Tenor Sax
1
Karen Sharp
2
Dave O’Higgins
3
Art Themen
4
Robert Fowler
5
John Hallam
Piano
1
Dave Newton
2
Nikki Iles
3
Gareth Williams
4
Nikki Yeoh
5
Craig Milverton
Guitar
1
Jim Mullen
2
Martin Taylor
3
John Etheridge
4
Nigel Price
5
Dominic Ashworth
Double Bass
1
Dave Green
2
Alison Rayner
3
Arnie Somogyi
4
Andrew Cleyndert
5
Calum Gourlay


Drums
1
Winston Clifford
2
James Maddren
3
Steve Brown
4
Sebastiaan De Krom
5
Clark Tracey
Vocals
1
Claire Martin
2
Clare Teal
3
Tina May
4
Georgia Mancio 
5
Sara Dowling

Miscellaneous Instrument
1
Courtney Pine (soprano sax)
2
Ross Stanley (organ)
3
Emma Fisk (violin)
4
Andy Panayi (flute)
5
Ben Holder (violin)



Rising Star
1
Alexandra Ridout
2
Nubya Garcia
3
Nadim Teimoori
4
Daniel Casimir
5
Alex Clarke



Small Group
1
Kansas Smitty’s House Band
2
Nigel Price Organ Trio
3
Digby Fairweather's Half Dozen
4
Tipitina
5
Alison Rayner Quintet



Big Band
1
Greth Lockrane Big Band
2
NYJO
3
Scottish National Jazz Orchestra
4
Beats & Pieces
5
Calum Gourlay Big Band

Best New Album
1
Woodville Records: “Ask Me Now”- Alan Barnes & Dave Newton
2
ECM Records: “The Study of Touch” – Django Bates Beloved
3
ART Records: “The Tour Continues” - Art Themen’s New Directions Quintet
4
Lake Records: “Thanks For The Melody” - Jeff Barnhart & Spats Langham
5
33 Jazz Records for "Risky Furniture" by Paul Jolly and Mike Adcock
Best Re-issue Album
1
Upbeat Recordings: “Sir Humph’s Delight” - Humphrey Lyttelton
2
Esoteric Recordings: “Where Fortune Smiles” – McLaughlin, Surman, Berger, Holland And Martin
3
Jazz Crusade: “It Looks Like A Big Time Tonight” - Johnny Parker
4
Lake Records: “My Tiny Band Is Chosen” - Freddy Randall
5
Gearbox Records: "Monk" - Thelonious Monk

With Thanks to our Nomination Panel:

Chris Hodgkins
Musician and broadcaster
David Nathan
National Jazz Archive
Denny Ilett
Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival
Gill Wilde
Grimsby Jazz
Ian Darrington
Wigan Jazz Festival
Jill Roger
Glasgow Jazz Festival
John Billett
JBGB Events
Lance Liddle
Bebop Spoken Here
Laurie Burnette
Jazz London Radio
Roger Cotterrell
Jazz Writer
Ron Simpson
The Jazz Rag

For more information, please contact:
Big Bear Music
On 0121 454 7020 / admin@bigbearmusic.com

Jim Simpson (Big Bear Music).

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