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

18573 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 437 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 28) 91

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

May

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Miles Davis & His Favourite Musicians.
Thu 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 28: Bobby Rush @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. + bf. Veteran USA bluesman.
Thu 28: Squabble @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 28: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.

Sat 30: Giles Strong Quartet @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £1.50 bf.

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

June

Mon 01: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Mon 01: CW Stoneking @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Blues, Americana.

Tue 02: Mark Williams Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 02: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Friday, April 12, 2019

Noel Dennis Quartet @ The Lit & Phil - April 12

Noel Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
(Review by Russell/photos courtesy of Brian Ebbatson)

The year is 1958: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for coming down to the village this afternoon for a very special performance by the Noel Dennis Quartet. And before the guys make a start can I remind you that next week Noel and the guys will be at 17 East 126th Street in Harlem to take part in some sort of photographic project by a kinda crazy young cat called Art Kane. I don't know if it'll come to anything but a whole bunch of other cats...I've heard that Dizzy will be there, Basie, oh, yeah Sonny Rollins, maybe Monk...so, if you can, get down to see what it's all about. Okay, I think the guys are going to kick things off with Beautiful Love. Over to you Noel...

The year is 2019: Beautiful Love opened the show to a full house here at the Lit & Phil here in downtown Newcastle. Noel Dennis, the hottest trumpet player around, has been working with the guys for some time although their busy schedules mean they rarely get together to play a gig but this afternoon, as easy as you like, they picked up where they left off.  

Miles Davis was a huge fan of Noel, it was clearly evident in his sound at around the time he recorded Kind of Blue that he'd been listening to the Teessider, especially during the Noel Dennis Quartet's sold out week-long run at the Five Spot. Dennis knows Beautiful Love inside out, Miles could only dream of possessing such fluency, invention and full-bodied tone.     

Our trumpeter acknowledged Miles with a sublime take on All Blues and with Bill Evans on this Lit and Phil gig it was just like listening to Paul Edis. Blue in Green is sure to be one of the key numbers the next time Noel Dennis goes into the studio, trumpet or flugelhorn, we were listening to the Teessider's trademark sound backed by the immaculate Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb. 

The year is 1969: Here in the village, Noel is running the voodoo down with a killer take on Pharaoh’s Dance, Andy Champion laying down the hypnotic bass line. Unlike Miles, Noel didn't turn his back on the Lit and Phil audience. Cool, that's Noel.

The year is 1959: The Plaza Hotel, NYC, the Noel Dennis Quartet. It's late into the evening, the session is being recorded with a view to releasing it as a 'live' album. Noel is in mellow mood, Victor Young's masterpiece Stella by Starlight holds the audience in its thrall, a master at work. 

The year is 1959/2019: Noel/Miles with the spirit of Bird in his horn here at the Lit and Phil on 52nd Street decided to close the set with Au Privave. Wow! Noel, Paul, Andy and Russ left 'em all in their wake. These guys should record this stuff. Watch this space...         
Russell
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