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

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

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).

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Miles Davis & His Favourite Musicians.
Thu 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 28: Bobby Rush @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. + bf. Veteran USA bluesman.
Thu 28: Squabble @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 28: 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 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.

Sat 30: Giles Strong Quartet @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £1.50 bf.

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

June

Mon 01: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Mon 01: CW Stoneking @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Blues, Americana.

Tue 02: Mark Williams Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 02: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wednesday, April 08, 2020

Bringin' the bins in

(By Russell)

The morning after the night before. It's 9:00am, a slice of toast with a hangover black coffee at hand. More CDs to listen to, reviews to write. it's a beautiful, peaceful, sunny lockdown day, birds twittering in the trees. And then...

The 'essential services' crew braved the hazards of back lane suburbia...they're dedicated public servants these guys, as their familiar bin lorry pulled up outside. It was a reassuring sight. Our heroes heaved heavy-laden blue ('doing our bit') recycling bins from kerbside to lorry, chatting casually, as is their wont. An imagined conversation...


Ron: Hey, Brian, these bins are bloody heavy this week! 
Brian: Aye, yer tellin' me! (CRASH! CLINK! CRAAASH!)
Ron: Hear that? You know...(CRASH! CLINK!) ...what these lot have been doin', don't ya?
Brian: Aye, ****ing plonkies. The sooner this lockdown's over the better!

And on their way our heroes went, the early morning quiet restored. Time to sneak out to bring the bins in, anticipating an imagined conversation...

The neighbour: Mornin'! (Damn, let's hope he doesn't mention last night's empties).
Your correspondent: Oh, mornin' (business like, trying not to engage).
The neighbour: Good time last night? (was that a pleasantry or something more searching?).
Your correspondent: Quiet (trying to sound convincing).
The neighbour: Well, I hope we didn't disturb you last last night...had a few too many lagers, you know, listening to my old country music albums. Hadn't heard them in years. They were in the loft and what with this lockdown thing I've been doing a bit of spring cleaning. 
Your correspondent: Oh, don't worry, didn't hear a thing.
The neighbour: You've got a record player thingy, haven't you?
Your correspondent: A turntable, aye.
The neighbour: Well, if you like, you can loan my LPs, they're really...
Your correspondent: Thanks for the offer but I've got lots of jazz CDs to listen to.
The neighbour: Ah, yes, you like that twiddly-diddly stuff, don't you?  
Your correspondent: Aye, sort of (closing the door, back in the real world, the world of twiddly-diddly jazz).

Now, where was I. Ah, yes, there's the latest ECM album to listen to before a quick trip to the shops for some, ahem, 'essential shopping'.          
Russell
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