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

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.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 25: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 25: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Forgotten Ones & Any Quintets.
Thu 25: Edgar Ho Trio @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Brilliant alto sax, piano & double bass trio. Unmissable!
Thu 25: 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 26: Finn-Keeble Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9:00.
Fri 26: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 26: Clark Tracey @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Newcastle Jazz Festival. £26.00. Day 1/2.

Monday, September 30, 2019

Mercury nominees, big band legends and UK debuts: Full lineup announced for Marsden Jazz Festival

(Press release - Image © David Preston)

The full lineup has been announced for one of the jazz circuit’s best-loved festivals and, as ever, it’s a heady mix of classic and cutting edge, world-class and family friendly (often all at the same time).

Marsden Jazz Festival, which earlier this year made it through to the final of the prestigious Parliamentary Jazz Awards, celebrates its 28th year and takes place on 11-13 October 2019 in the beautiful Pennine village of Marsden. 

The Mercury Prize-nominated SEED Ensemble prove the festival’s nose for an up-and-comer (it also booked Mercury-nominee Dinosaur in 2017). Combining jazz with inner-city London, West African and Caribbean influenced groove, the SEED Ensemble (Sun 13 Oct) is led by alto saxophonist and composer Cassie Kinoshi and celebrates the vibrant and distinctive diversity that has influenced British culture and is something the festival is delighted to celebrate. 
The festival takes place across more than 20 venues and more than 60 free events. Other highlights include Snake Davis (Sun 13 Oct), one of the most in-demand rock, jazz and soul sax players in the world, (known for solos on Lisa Stansfield’s Change and M-People’s Search For A Hero). He appears with the Snake Davis Trio on the final day of the festival on the main concert stage at Marsden Parochial Hall. 

The New Stream programme features gigs from acts such as improvisational jazz trio Taupe (Sat 12 Oct) and the UK debut for Dutch trombonist Wolter Wierbos (Sat 12 Oct) and there are free gigs from the likes of Nishla Smith (Sat 12 Oct), one of Manchester’s finest young contemporary improvisers, and the vibrant, infectious grooves of Martin Speake’s Charukesi . 

“This year we’ve programmed artists who are making waves in the jazz world,” says artistic director Barney Stevenson, “but we have also spent a lot of time ensuring the festival is as accessible as possible to everyone.”

To this end, the festival has its own special blend of ticketed and free events, featuring a wide range of local talent, the ever-popular market in the park and a brand-new street food venue at St Bartholomew's Church. 


The entire digital programme is available here.

No comments :

Blog Archive