Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (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

18548 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 412 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 19) 66

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

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Jazz Classics with Rivkala @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Rivkala (vocals); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 21: 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 22: Paul Skerritt @ Market Place, Durham. From 12 noon. Free. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Fri 22: Paul Edis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00. Edis, Andy Champion, Steve Hanley.
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 22: Paul Edis Trio @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £TBC. Edis, Andy Champion, Steve Hanley.

Sat 23: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall. 2:00pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 23: Paul Edis @ Core Music, Gilesgate, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00. A Core Music fundraiser, Hexham Jazz Weekender Day/Weekend ticket not applicable. Hexham Jazz Weekender.
Sat 23: Blyth Big Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 6:30pm. £9.00., £5.00.
Sat 23: Paul Edis & Friends @ Musicwonders, Church Chare, Chester-le-Street. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £15.00. www.musicwonders.org. BYOB. SOLD OUT!
Sat 23: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Queen’s Hall Hexham. 7:00pm. £13.50 (inc. bf). Hexham Jazz Weekender.
Sat 23: TC & the Groove Family + Lagos to Longbenton @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sat 23: Davina & the Vagabonds @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £22.00. + £1.50 bf.
Sat 23: Celebrating Wes Montgomery @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 8:15pm. £14.00., £12.00. Hexham Jazz Weekender.
Sat 23: Chris Coull’s Porgy & Bess @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 9:30pm. £16.50 (inc. bf). Hexham Jazz Weekender.

Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 24: SwanNek @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £11.50 (inc. bf). Hexham Jazz Weekender.
Sun 24: Salty Dog @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free. Donations.
Sun 24: Ben Crosland’s Threeway @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. £13.50 (inc. bf). Line-up inc. Steve Waterman. Hexham Jazz Weekender.
Sun 24: Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Street Brass Band Bonanza: The Fanfare + Storytellers + Tenth Avenue Band @ The Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £10.00., £8.00.
Sun 24: Charlie Parr @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50. Blues. Jumpin’ Hot Club.
Sun 24: Olly Styles Experience @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.
Sun 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 8:15pm. £13.50 (inc. bf). Hexham Jazz Weekender. Feat. Jamil Sheriff.
Sun 24: Modern Vikings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 9:30pm. £16.50 (inc. bf). Hexham Jazz Weekender.

Mon 25: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 26: Noel Dennis Sextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £12.00. A Miles Davis centenary concert (Davis b. 26. 5. 1926). Noel Dennis (trumpet); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums). SOLD OUT!
Tue 26: Lagos to Longbenton @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.
. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Wed 27: Neighbourhood Watch + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00. Rivkala (solo).

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Sunday Jazz @ Middlesbrough Town Hall w. Binker Golding Band, Noya Rao, & Francis Tulip Quartet.

Binker Golding Band: Golding (tenor sax); Sarah Tandy (piano); Conor Chaplin (bass); Jamie Murray (drums).
(Review by Lance)

This was a cracker! From the opening number everyone went for it. Train-lagged they may have been but it didn’t show. Sarah Tandy set the bench mark at what seemed an impossible high but nothing is impossible and it was passed several times, not least by herself. Tenor and drums also posted the unreachable (bassist Chaplin set down his mark later). This was just the first tune and already I was on the edge of my seat eagerly anticipating the next one.

Think Blue Note, Dexter, Johnny Griffin blowing in today’s world and you’re getting close. Think of your favourite pianists then reshuffle the list making sure the name Tandy is amongst them.

Down in The Crypt – aptly named – I was glad of the foresight to don an extra layer but, such was the heat being generated by the players, Binker removed a layer and Chaplin rolled up his sleeves. The warmth reached out to me and I no longer felt cold.

No announcements were made until the end when Binker Trane – sorry, Golding - announced that all the numbers were from his latest album which has the unlikely title of Abstractions of Reality Past and Incredible Feathers
11 out of 10!
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Francis Tulip Quartet: Tulip (guitar); Ben Lawrence (piano); Michael Dunlop (bass guitar); Kai Chareunsy (drums)The afternoon opened up with a set by guitarist Tulip’s quartet who treated the not inconsiderable audience to pieces by Wayne Shorter (The Big Push & Infant Eyes); Herbie Hancock (I Have a Dream); Elvin Jones (Giraffe) and his own Matters of Fact. It is to his credit that, despite the illustrious names who had composed the preceding numbers, it was Tulip’s own piece that showed off the band to greatest effect. That’s true – it’s a matter of fact.
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Noya Rao: Olivia Bhattacharjee (voice/electronics); Tom Henry (keys/producer); Jim Wiltshire (bass guitar); Matt Davies (drums).

Slotted between the other two bands on the bill I have to hold up my hand and say this wasn’t really my scene and it would be unfair of me to pass judgement. Having said that, Olivia Bhattacharjee has a beautifully textured voice and a range that hinted at having operatic dimensions. All four are fine musicians and Russell was certainly impressed so perhaps he should be writing about this section of the afternoon. Electronic-soul is how the programme notes defined it so maybe Steve T should be doing the honours.

However, they sold CDs and the applause resounded so maybe I was the only one marching in step!

One thing is sure, the afternoon/early evening format of providing a platform for young bands from near and far is a good one and deserving of support (as of course are all gigs featuring live music). Next month’s offering is Paul Edis’ Jazzy Christmas with vocals by Jo Harrop and support from  the stars of the future – Jambone. This is on Sunday December 15 from 2:00pm - 6:00pm.
Lance.

2 comments :

Ros Rigby said...

Glad you enjoyed it Lance!

Lance said...

And well done you (Ros) for putting this all together!

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