Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Wednesday, December 04, 2019

Congratulations to Zoë Gilby on APPJAG Award

(Report by Lance/Photo from Zoë Gilby's Facebook page)

As announced in the previous post  Zoë Gilby aced the Jazz Vocal category in this year's All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group (APPJAG) 2019 awards.

At the ceremony, held in the Pizza Express Jazz Club, Holborn, London, Zoë held off strong competion to win the prestigious award. This was a fitting milestone in her still developing career who knows what the future holds in store for her?

It was back in April 2008 when Zoë was first mentioned on BSH after a gig at the Side Café in Newcastle and it became obvious then that this was a girl going places - helped along the way by several key figures not least of which was her father.

The late Mike Gilby, an outstanding trumpet player, arranger, bandleader and all-round musician provided his daughter with support and inspiration to embark upon her own career that saw her singing with Mike's big band and various small groups of her own..

Bass player and future husband Andy Champion (pictured) provided further impetus to her developement. Andy, now achieving national recognition himself, encouraged Zoë to add lyric-writing to her skills and the pair combined to write several original pieces as well as performing as a bass and voice duo.

The duo gigs came about after Zoë attended a masterclass by the legendary American jazz singer Sheila Jordan who also played an important role in her career.

The above people provided the ingredients but it was the singer herself who put them all together and made her what she is today.

Well done!

Full details of the awards can be found on London Jazz News.
Lance

8 comments :

David Gosling (on F/b). said...

Well done Zoe - thoroughly deserved and the first of many no doubt.

Pam Young (on F/b) said...

So we'll deserved 🏆 Zoe is not only a hugely talented performer and writer, she is a generous promoter of other musicians. 💖

Ernie Jackson (on F/b). said...

Great . Well done ZOE xx

Gordon Solomon. said...

Well done Zoe. We've never met but I knew your dad well,- he used to dep for the River City Band both on trumpet and electric bass, a great musician. He would have been proud!
Cheers,
Gordon Solomon.

Ben Turnbull (on F/b) said...

Years of nose to the grindstone strength in depth craft-learning and spreading of wings reults in well-deserved recognition... who'd have thought? You look really happy, but I say that every time... well done...

Mo Scott (on F/b) said...

Congratulations Zoe xxx

Roz Sluman (on F/b) said...

Wow, well done Zoe, fantastic!!! X

David Blackwell (on F/b). said...

Well deserved.

Blog Archive