Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18122 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1086 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 07: FILM: Blue Moon @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Dir. Richard Linklater’s biopic of Lorenz Hart.
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.

Thu 08: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones of 1976.

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
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: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, 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

Saturday, June 01, 2019

Preview: DJazz (June 7-9)

(Preview by Russell)

Friday (June 7) marks the opening of this year's DJazz. What's in a name? D for Durham, Jazz for, well, jazz. Now in its third year, DJazz: The Durham City Jazz Festival will once again announce itself across the city in venues one wouldn't necessarily associate with jazz. If there's a secret to DJazz that's it - taking jazz to unusual places and (some) unsuspecting people. 

Imposing venues (Redhills, Durham Cathedral, to name but two) and more humble establishments (Holy GrAle, Riverwalk Festival Hub 'Pop-up') will present a range of contemporary artists; three days, seven venues, twenty-one performances, all for twenty quid. Redhills, known as the 'Pitmen's Parliament', presents Arun Ghosh on Friday evening and twenty-four hours later this year's DJazz headliner will be none other than Moses Boyd. The drummer of Binker and Moses' fame will be in town with his London-based Exodus project. Arrive early, Redhills will be busy!
Sunday's fayre includes the intriguing prospect of pianist Paul Edis playing Durham Cathedral's pipe organ. Musician/educator/promoter Edis will be in good company working alongside Edinburgh-based Graeme Wilson playing an assortment of reeds. Three top draw concerts for the paltry sum of £20. And there's more, much more - festival gigs, a jam session, a seminar, DJ sessions - all for twenty quid! The cost of admission has got to be the bargain of the year! 

The DJazz Festival Hub at Riverwalk, adjacent to the much-missed Empty Shop venue, is surrounded by eateries and watering holes to suit all tastes. Homegrown talent includes drummers Abbie Finn and Matt MacKellar leading their respective bands, Tyneside-based Not Now Charlie will be in town, LoLanders are on the schedule, as is George Burt. Special mention of improvising guitarist Burt's appearance - the venue, Holy GrAle, Durham's bottled beer shop on Crossgate, is tiny, so, it's first come first served!

Full details of DJazz: The Durham City Jazz Festival can be found at www.djazzfestival.co.uk
Russell
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