Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: 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 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Sat 22: Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham Alumni All Stars + Swing Manouche @ Darlington Market Place. From 1:00pm. Free. The All Stars (1:00pm); The Alumni (2:00-4:00pm); Swing Manouche (4:15pm).

Monday, October 28, 2019

Sunday Jazz @ Middlesbrough Town Hall, early evening session - October 27

Hand to Mouth: Lindsay Hannon (vocal); Bradley Johnston (guitar)
(Review by Lance)

In between the concerts in the Main Hall, we had two very satisfying sets in the Fire Station.

Hand to Mouth celebrates the recordings made back in the 1970’s by Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass and, in Bradley and Lindsay, they could have no better duo to bring that music back to life.

Cool and laid back, they dealt up exquisite versions of The Very Thought of You; ‘Tis Autumn; I Ain’t Got Nothing But the Blues; One Note Samba with an amazing voice/ guitar take on the middle 8; In My Solitude; I Love Being Here With You and Some Other Time – I hope so!
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Abbie Finn Trio: Abbie Finn (drums); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Paul Grainger (bass).

After a multi-directional intro emerged Caravan. Keeble was fully charged with a solo that took us from one end of the Sahara to the other and back again. This guy has it all, as of course we already knew from his appearances in local jams. He can blow and so can leader Abbie play drums who kept the train moving with an explosive solo. Women can make music? – You betcha!

Swim, a composition by Paul Grainger, not surprisingly, featured the bass man and Nothing Personal, a tune associated with Michael Brecker featured the man who, tonight, was Michael Brecker until the next number when he was Joe Henderson on Recorda Me.

The clock was ticking down but we still had time for Seven Steps to Heaven and Dexter Gordon’s Cheese Cake. “Third time I’ve heard that number this weekend” remarked Tony Eales referring to Vasi’s sessions reviewed by Russell.
It’s been a good weekend for tenor players and there’s more to come.
Lance

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