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, May 28, 2019

Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival, Burton Agnes Hall, YO25 4NB 12th-14th July 2019 - Late Night Sessions.


(Press release)

Late Night Sessions - 12th & 13th  July
In association with STRADA music agency.

Friday evening
10pm -11pm: Pete and Polly Bolton 
Pete and Polly play fast, funky, early Americana.  Good time country and blues, gospel and mountain songs are all driven by a mix of banjo, guitar and mandolin. Passionate vocals and inspired playing from them both make this father and daughter duo unusual and a bit special.
11pm - Midnight: Juke Joint Kings
A talented group of blues musicians who came together in 2015 through Beverley's monthly open mic 'Blues Sunday'. They have become regulars on the Yorkshire blues scene and their recent album has received airplay on both sides of the Atlantic along with praise from Blues Matters.
The Juke Joint Kings’ continue to perform tracks by their influences B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Otis Rush, Sonny Boy Williams II, Howlin’ Wolf and others alongside their own original material.

'Quality in every department' Tom Walker, Blues Matters


Saturday evening
10pm -11pm: Geoff Green & The Carousels 
A unique group of singer/songwriters and musicians from Hull and Beverley who are currently receiving radio play on both national and international stations for their original material.
They play and perform as a full 5 piece band, 4 piece band, trio, duo and even solo. Their debut EP “Relax Rewind” (released September 2018) has to date over 15000 streams on Spotify and has been well received by radio presenters and listeners alike.
  • Internationally licensed Music 
  • Signed Artist with a publishing deal 
  • Received airplay on the BBC along with performing live sets on BBC introducing 
  • Multi award-winning BBC radio presenter David Burns described their track “Forever Young” as his song of the Summer
  • Music which is featured on their EP “Relax Rewind”, has now appeared on 4 multi-artist compilation albums.
Their sole aim is to Bring Good Vibes & Chilled Times.

11pm - Midnight: Alligators
Festival favourites The Alligators will round off Saturday night with their high-octane brand of 'no holds barred', old school rhythm and blues.

The thirteenth Burton Agnes Jazz & Blues Festival is set in one of the UK’s finest Elizabethan stately homes with early bird tickets now on sale and for a limited time only.
A wide variety of jazz, blues, acoustic, soul and funk – with, above all, superb musicianship – will grace the main stage, performance tents, courtyard and Great Hall. Firmly established in the festival calendar, this is a weekend designed for the whole family to relax and enjoy, in the most beautiful festival surroundings imaginable.
Main stage artists include Atila: King for a Day – The Nat King Cole Story, Mo Pleasure, Manchester Jazz Collective, Ponyland, The Mark Williams Trio, Artephis, Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat, Max and Veronica and Ben Beattie’s After Midnight band plus Simon Cunliffe-Lister.
Early bird tickets still on sale:
Tel: 01262 490324

They say that good things come in small packages. This may be one of the summer's smallest gatherings, but it's also one of the most sophisticated...' Daily Mail

‘Possibly the most enjoyable jazz concert I've ever attended’. The Independent

Now this is a proper music festival’ The Times

“The location for the festival is spectacular…. the festival organiser, bouncing with charisma, with infectious enthusiasm, mixing with festival goers and seemingly everywhere all at once, has a great little festival chipping away at the established music hegemony” Bebop Spoken Here Live review

One of The Daily Telegraph's best fifteen festivals for the over 50s.
“This is a very English festival, with a wonderful laid-back atmosphere…superbly organised and efficiently run, which brought together such a wide range of musical styles across a successful weekend…Yes, this is a wonderful English festival.” Fatea Magazine

“Who could have imagined such an idyllic and sublime location for a Jazz and Blues Festival….thankfully somebody did…This unique venue and event is a must attend festival….make sure you get your tickets...I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.”  Yorkshire Gig Guide

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