Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

October.

Tue 06: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Paul Grainger (double bass).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Murray Oak, Paul Grainger, John Bradford.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. First night of two.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Thursday, May 02, 2019

Jam session @ The Dun Cow - May 1

Stu Collingwood (piano, vocals); Paul Grainger (double bass); Paul Wight (drums, vocals) + Kay Usher (violin); James Metcalf (flugelhorn).
(Review by Russell).

Another quiet night. Jazz Cafe Tuesday, Dun Cow Wednesday - students cramming ahead of exams, Metro falling apart thanks to 'austerity' policies and Barca v Liverpool on the telly* possible/probable factors in the low turn-outs of both musicians and audience. 

The house trio - Stu, piano, Paul G, bass and Paul W, drums - played for their own satisfaction as much as the hardy few. First Wednesday in the month appears to be convenient for Kay Usher and she duly turned up again to play a couple of numbers, never one to overstay her welcome. All of Me then Corcovado and she was done, for the time being. 

James Metcalf made the effort - take note young, aspiring musos! - and, when given the nod, with flugelhorn in hand (the previous evening it was trumpet), suggested a couple of standards which our experienced trio happily obliged.

Following a short intermission, Kay Usher returned to remind us It Don't Mean a Thing if you can't play Autumn Leaves with a certain swing supported by Paul Wight's sensitive brushwork.

As the evening threatened tp peter out - Metcalf had departed - two vocalists stepped up to the mic. First, Stu Collingwood singing I Thought About You. This was good stuff, Stu's vocal style pitched somewhere between Paul Edis (!) by way of Mose Allison and Gerry Richardson. Take that as high praise! Our second singer of the evening, Paul Wight, opted for Pennies from Heaven (in G). Eyeing your correspondent, Mr Wight threatened to do damage should this BSH review of his vocal abilities be anything other than favourable. Oh, yeah! You and whose army?! As it happens our house drummer made a good fist of it, although the 'scat' section didn't come anywhere near challenging Ella's crown!  

Yes, a quiet, pleasant way to spend a May Day evening, it could have been worse...Morris dancers could have turned up!

* Mr Messi put Liverpool to the sword.  
Russell
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