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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Lapwing Jazz Trio @ Three Sheets to the Wind, Alnwick. 5:15pm or 5:45pm (times tbc). Part of the Alnwick Story Festival's music fringe programme: Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Joseph O’Brien: The Ultimate Tribute to Frank Sinatra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. O’Brien & seven piece band (inc. Wendy Kirkland, Jim Corry & Pat Sprakes).
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 02: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £10.00. Day 3/3.
Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: Side Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Derwentwater Road, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Milne Glendinning Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 6:30pm.
Sun 02: Bella by Barlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 02: Ali Watson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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

‘JAZZ ARTISTS OF THE YEAR’ TO HEADLINE FESTIVAL IN DURHAM

 PRESS RELEASE

DJAZZ : The Durham City Jazz Festival

Various venues
Durham City
June 7th - 9th
Tickets: £20 available from buytickets.at/djazz

A festival is bringing together an eclectic mix of regional, national and international musicians to Durham, including multi award winning artists at the cutting edge of jazz, and placing them in the city’s most iconic buildings.

Now in its 3rd year, DJAZZ: The Durham City Jazz Festival brings you an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional jazz set against the backdrop of some of Durham's most intriguing venues. Highlights include 2 x MOBO award winner Moses Boyd who will be headlining at Redhills: Durham Miners Hall and 2018’s ‘Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year' Arun Ghosh, who will be opening the festival.


The festival brings a fresh perspective to the world of jazz, celebrating its vast and varied nature. The focus is to bring together a number of different musical styles, groups, networks and audiences in the small but perfectly formed city of Durham. At only £20 for a full weekend ticket festival-goers gain access to over 20 events ranging from intimate sets in hidden locations to big names in big venues! Think cafes, pop-ups and bars to venues and iconic historic buildings. This not only has the effect of pairing up acts with a unique environment but is part of the festival’s ambition to reach new audiences and get music lovers to try something new!

So one minute you’re watching multi-award winning Moses Boyd Exodus in the historic Durham Miners Hall, Redhills - and the next you’re in the 25 capacity Holy Grale for an intimate solo set.

The organisers encourage anyone who is interested in live music to engage with the festival, and not to be deterred by the term ‘Jazz’. The genre has enjoyed a huge resurgence over the past few years as we find ourselves now within a period of exciting UK revival.

Carlo Viglianisi says:
“Jazz can be quite a loaded phrase but the truth is, jazz as a genre can be traced through almost every form of music since the 1920s. At our festival you’ll hear everything from new straight ahead trios and bossa nova right through to grime and electro. You’ll definitely catch the best examples of Jazz as you think you know it, and jazz as you don’t know it”


Collaboration plays an important part of the festival not only in bringing musicians together but also by working with the local businesses to transform existing spaces into festival venues for the weekend.

Heather Spencer says:
“Not only will you see a diverse range of artists from a local, national and international stage but from all angles of the festival, we seek to create an environment that makes everyone welcome through our collaborative approach. We work with so many different partners, from local groups to student societies and small businesses to big organisations meaning we have no single core audience - DJAZZ is truly a festival for everyone.”

Taking place across multiple venues in the city audiences will experience jazz in all of its forms in a range of unique and intriguing venues.

The festival venues are:
     Durham Cathedral
     Redhills: Durham Miners Hall
     The Square at The Riverwalk
     Pop-up hub at The Riverwalk
     Pop-up jazz bar st The Riverwalk
     The Norman Chapel at Durham Castle
     The Holy GrAle

Featured acts include:
     Moses Boyd Exodus - 2X MOBO Award winner (link)
     Arun Ghosh - 2018 Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year (link)
     Paul Edis and Graeme Wilson - Durham Cathedral pipe organ and saxophone (link)
     Between Waves - Archipelago + Fran Bundey - Newcastle based genre-fluid trio featuring electronic vocal-looping artist Fran Bundey
     Ceitidh Mac - Cello, vibraphone/percussion, vocals, reeds and synths - blending alt-folk and mellow vocals
     The Nu Bossa Band - Porteguese father-daughter duo with stunning sax and percussion - music spanning the afro-cuban and latin tradition
     Kinesis + Paul Grainger - local drumming star Abbie Finn returns to Durham with her duo - then trio - showing the changing timbre of the music
     LoLanders - Collaboration between leading Scottish and Dutch jazz musicians - an exciting sextet of varied influences: Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Scottish and Highland tradition and the Asian diaspora
.
Full line up is at: https://djazzfestival.co.uk/

Contact:
Carlo Viglianisi
07787 144 894

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