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

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: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
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.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, 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

Thursday, May 02, 2019

Alan Barnes + 11/The John Horler Trio @ Ronnie Scott's - May 1

Alan Barnes (alto sax/baritone sax/clarinet), Colin Skinner (alto sax/clarinet), Andy Panayi (tenor sax/flute), Mick Foster (baritone sax/bass clarinet etc.), Patrick White, James Copus (trumpets); Gordon Campbell, Callum Au (trombones); Robin Aspland (piano); Sam Burgess (bass); Ed Richardson (drums).
(Review by Lance).

Ronnie's was sold out and why shouldn't it be? This was a rather special event. A celebration, not only of  60 years of the club (or should that be The Club?) it was also the number of years that Alan Barnes (or should that be The Alan Barnes?) had been on the planet and, specific to that year (1959), it was the year that so many classic jazz albums were released including Art Pepper + 11.

Alan Barnes + 11 didn't set out to emulate the original but, instead, chose material from many of the other gems from the class of '59 e.g.: Boogie Stop Shuffle; Take 5; Felicidade; A Single Petal of a Rose; Blowin' the Blues Away; Little Rootie Tootie; Naima; Hi-Fly; Dreamsville; Catch as Catch Can and a final belter the name of which escaped me. 

Mark Nightingale wrote the arrangements but didn't make the gig as he was in Japan ("What a stag night that was" quipped Barnes) however, in Callum Au he couldn't have found a better dep. All of the saxes were featured throughout with Panayi's flute particularly impressive. Both trumpets and trombones were on the money and the rhythm section a soloist's dream. As for the leader he dazzled on alto, baritone, clarinet and even bass clarinet although it was Foster who took the lead on the latter instrument. His humour, as ever, shone through. After the audience chuckled at his plug for the band's CD he responded with "What's so funny? You don't laugh at the butcher for selling sausages!"

Absolute knockout!
----- 
John Horler Trio: John Horler (piano); Dave Green (bass); Dave Ingamells (drums).
Those who came fashionably late missed the opening set by a trio that, anywhere else, would be the headline act. Horler and Green, both legends of UK jazz, combined with one of the younger drummers on the scene proving that in jazz age is no restriction. It doesn't get much better than this.

My Romance; Gentle Bossa; How Deep is the Ocean? Some Other Time; Days of Wine and Roses and After Supper. The latter from the classic The Atomic Mr Basie album.
Lance.

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