Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18621 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 485 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 14) 37

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

June

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 18: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 19: Joe Steels Group @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. 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 Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 19: Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £14.33., £11.16., £8.00.
Fri 19: Martin Litton @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 (inc. bf); £6.50 (inc. bf); £15.00 on the door. Solo piano. CANCELLED!
Fri 19: Jools Holland’s R&B Orchestra @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Joe Webb support set.
Fri 19: Hot Club du Nord @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 19: Jive Aces: The Roots of Rock & Roll @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00 + bf.

Sat 20: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer Festival, Corbridge. 5:00-6:00pm.
Sat 20: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 20: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Trinity Church, Gosforth, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. NCRO w. guests Dean Stockdale & Nick Ward.

Sun 21: From Lagos to Longbenton: Unity in the Community @ Sunderland Minster. From 1:30pm. Free. A multi-bill Unity in the Community event, inc. From Lagos to Longbenton.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio w. Graham Hardy.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 22: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 23: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival - July 14

(Reviews by Sheila)

 The Lemon Monkeys: Matt Smith and Carlos Olmos (guitars). German-Bolivian,
Sunday morning was underway at 11 on the main stage with a jazz guitar duo - a Londoner and a German-Bolivian.  "Guten Dias", and it was a good day. 
Lovely interpretations of jazz standards, swinging and intricate, with a gypsy jazz feel at times. All well received and appreciated by the audience who were enjoying the brighter weather. 

Emma Johnson's Gravy Boat: Emma Johnson sax, Fergus Vickers, guitar, Angus Milne, double bass and Steve Hanley drums. 
On stage Sunday lunchtime (Gravy Boat - get it?!) 
A relaxed, melodic and distinctive style of contemporary jazz, from composer Emma Johnson and the band.  "We had a great time performing at Burton Agnes for the first time and it was amazing to play our music to such a friendly and interested audience" said, Emma. There was a strong rapport both within the band and with the audience, accessible and very popular with the knowledgeable listeners who queued for CDs on sale at the end of the set. 

Catch them at The Globe on 16th November. 
Veronica and Max (Veronica Sbergia and Max De Bernadi from Milan) were next up and quite a contrast. 1920s blues to gospel with washboard and guitar. Very energetic and fun, these multi-instrumentalists, ukeleles and kazoo also part of the mix, and great vocals from Veronica, sometimes in authentic hollerin' style, had the audience laughing and joining in the songs and dancing on the lawn proving that music knows no boundaries of genre or appeal worldwide.

Ben Beattie's After Midnight Band 
Lisanse Changwe (guitar/vocals); Ben Beattie (alto/tenor sax); + drums, bass guitar & Simon Cunliffe-Lister (alto sax).
(Photo courtesy of Charlie Shaw) 

 Ben Beattie's After Midnight Band wound up proceedings in the now traditional manner. Joined by Simon Cunliffe-Lister, event organiser, on sax and a 70+ group of dancers and another 100 + seated seeing out the weekend in style.
All the bands who played on the main stage l have reviewed in some detail, but many other musicians covering a wide range of styles within the jazz/blues/folk genre are present and playing on smaller stages in more intimate settings, the splendid Great Hall of the Elizabethan House and the courtyard for example. 

The venue is a delight, the beers are local the food and ice cream ditto, prices are reasonable and quality excellent. Being able to wander around the beautiful grounds, play areas and gardens means it's family-friendly and facilities are plentiful. 

A relaxed, well-organised weekend and congratulations and thanks to all involved. 
The dates are set for next year and l highly recommend getting your tickets early. 
Sheila.
at

1 comment :

Emma Johnson on Twitter said...

Thanks to Sheila for the lovely review on @bebopspokenhere of our gig at @burtonagneshall
Jazz and Blues Festival.

Friday, September 20, 2019 4:16:00 pm

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