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

18573 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 437 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 28) 91

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

May

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

June

Mon 01: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Mon 01: CW Stoneking @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Blues, Americana.

Tue 02: Mark Williams Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 02: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Postmodern Jukebox @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Thu 04: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 05: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 05-Thu 11: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne. Screenings TBC.
Fri 05: Pete Tanton & Alan Law @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 05: House of the Black Gardenia: Summer Tyne Swing Festival @ Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £130.00; £95.00; £70.00; £50.00. Note: all day dance event (classes & socials). House of the Black Gardenia evening performance. Day 1/3.
Fri 05: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band + IKS Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £24.00. Big band double bill. IKS Big Band (Germany).
Fri 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00

Sat 06: Struggle Buggy @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 06: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 06: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Dry Water Arts, Amble. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £15.00.
Sat 06: IKS Big Band: Summer Tyne Swing Festival @ Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £130.00; £95.00; £70.00; £50.00. Note: all day dance event (classes & socials). IKS Big Band evening performance. Day 2/3.
Sat 06: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Northumbrian Revival, West Benridge Farm, nr. Morpeth NE61 3RZ. 7:30-9:30pm. £21.47 (£2.77. child). 82nd D-Day anniversary event.
Sat 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 06: FILM: The Magic City: Birmingham According to Sun Ra @ The Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 9:30pm. £7.00., £5.00. Dir. Guillaume Maupin & Pablo Guarise.

Wednesday, September 04, 2019

Jam Session @ the Black Swan - Sept. 3

(Review/photos by Lance).

Six singers in a session made this an evening to remember for those of us who like a well-crafted lyric and there have been few lyricists who crafted it better than Ira Gershwin with They All Laughed, although the version by Niffi O may have strayed from his original intentions! We weren't laughing, most of us were applauding wildly as we also did after she worked out on Nellie Lutcher's 1948 hit Fine Brown Frame.

Unintimidated by this wild beginning, Jen Errington who, Paul Grainger informed us has a cat called Duke (Duke Errington - get it?), offered contrast with When Sunny Gets Blue and You Go To My Head. A sensitive and tender performance that almost silenced the audience - almost!

Miriam McCormick followed with Good Morning Heartache and a jaunty I'm in the Mood for Love.

At last, an instrumentalist! Giles Strong didn't need words to get the message across on Days of Wine & Roses, Just Friends and, Blue Bossa.

A break was called - perhaps for bingo or maybe Simon Cowell was going to pass judgement? No, it was time to give Walker and Law a spell with Mo now on drums and a young first-timer, James, on piano. Sorry James but I didn't get your surname. With Giles and Paul still manning the fort, up stepped Jan.

How Insensitive and I Only Have Eyes for You. A few key explorations were called for before a mutually agreeable choice was made on the latter number - such are the hazards of jam sessions.

Enter JJ! It had been awhile since I'd heard the Lithuanian Lark and she was in scintillating form aided and abetted by Showtime Gray.
If You Don't Want to be Down With me was followed by a bizarre melange of Wave, Oye Como Va, Summertime, Autumn Leaves and maybe a few more! She also duetted with Alan Law on keyboard. Amazing!

Bob Caswell thought so and gave her the acknowledgement she deserved before treating us to The Shadow of Your Smile followed by Laura. Magnificent - look out Tony Bennett, Bob's only 8 years behind you and closing in.

Meanwhile, David Gray had been hovering - his trombone primed - and ready to storm the citadel. I Got Rhythm provided the ammunition and the trombone became a battering ram. This was so hot I'm sure the slide melted (see pic)! Misty was rather more mellow.

An unusual session that would have benefited from maybe a trumpet or a couple of saxes. As I headed for the Metro I noted a platoon  of suitcases emerging from the station. Part of the new intake - I wondered how many, if any, were aspiring jazz musicians? There's usually a few. Time will tell.
Lance.
PS: Needless to say, the house trio of Law, Grainger and Walker were excellent!

 Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Rob Walker (drums) + Giles Strong (guitar); Hazem Mohammed (drums); David 'Showtime' Gray (trombone); James ? (piano); Niffi Osiyemi, Jen Errington, Miriam McCormick, Jan Spencelayh, Julija Jacenaite, Bob Caswell (vocals).
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