Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Thu 19: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: George Shearing Jazz Moments.

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

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

Monday, January 13, 2020

More Burns Night Jazz

(Preview by Lance)

It seems as though, officially, Burnsy's Night is on Saturday January 18. A night when, traditionally, tam o' shanters will be worn, haggis will be consumed and vast quantities of Scotch will be downed. Kilts will be de rigeur and, when things go awry, cabers will be thrown.

However, we jazzanachs celebrate it differently. We move it on a day to January 19 and, instead of the infernal bagpipes we have saxophones and other more civilised instruments.

Down at Middlebrough Town Hall, on Sunday afternoon some of Scotland's finest will storm the battlements of that august emporium and they will surely be given the freedom of the 'boro or at least a plate of haggis and chips.

Full details of this Jock jamboree can be found in an earlier post and all for £15 (booking fee and haggis not included).


For those who can't make the trip Teesside but still fancy some Jock jazz then, on the evening of the same day, the Jazz Coop are at hand with a post Burns' Night gig featuring JazzMain.

JazzMain (pictured), are not unknown in Newcastle having played several gigs at The Globe and elsewhere and each time seeing their audience grow in numbers.

This isn't surprising as Nick Gould must surely be now regarded as one of the top UK tenor players. A bold statement I know as there ain't no shortage of top rate tenor players in this small island but Nick is in their pitching and anyone who throws their cap in the ring at a jam knows that, win, lose or draw, they've been in a fight!

So the choice is 'Boro or Toon? well my worthy constituent Russell has worked out that he can do both with the help of - wait for it - Northern Rail. Fingers crossed!

What am I saying? I'm using the Tyne & Wear Metro whose track record puts Northern Rail on a par with the Orient Express!
Lance.

No comments :

Blog Archive