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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Wednesday, April 01, 2020

Jazz Ahead! - Updated

(By Russell)

The following selective gig list is somewhat speculative but, sooner or later, gig-going will resume. Fingers crossed that some/most/all of the gigs listed will go ahead. Surprisingly the concerts in May are yet to be postponed or rearranged. Contact the venue to confirm the gig is on! 

MAY 2020

MON 4 Shabaka & the Ancestors - Sage Gateshead. 

THU 7 Minnie Fraser Quartet - Gosforth Civic Theatre, Gosforth.

THU 14 Gregory Porter - Utilita Arena, Newcastle. 

THU 14 Martin Taylor & Martin Simpson - Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle.  

SAT 30  Paul Edis + Francis Tulip & Ben Lawrence - Sage Gateshead. Solo piano. 


JUNE 2020

THU 11 Archipelago + Faith Brackenbury - Black Swan, Newcastle.

SUN 14 Alice Grace w Strictly Smokin' Big Band - Hoochie Coochie. 5:30pm. Alice sings Ella! Tickets: www.strictly-smokin.co.uk

THU 18 Dean Stockdale Trio - Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 

THU 18 Shirley Smart Trio - The Globe, Newcastle. 

THU 18 Jo Harrop w Paul Edis Trio - St James’ & St Basil’s Church, Fenham, Newcastle.

FRI 19 Ben Gilbert Trio - Bishop Auckland Town Hall. 1:00pm. 

SUN 21 Zoë Gilby Quartet - Black Bull, Blaydon. Blaydon Jazz Club.

FRI 26 Paul Edis - Gala Theatre, Durham. 1:00pm. Solo piano. 

SAT 27 Jazz Jamaica All Stars: The Trojan Story - Sage Gateshead. 

SUN 28 MGB: Milne-Glendinning Band - The Globe, Newcastle. 

JULY 2020

THU 2 Bruno Heinen Trio - Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle.

FRI 3 Ben Crosland Quartet - Saltburn Community Hall & Theatre.

SAT 4 Nelson Riddle Orchestra: Frank Sinatra & Friends - Forum Theatre, Billingham. Christopher Riddle (conductor), featuring vocalist Tony Christie. 

THU 9 Hot Club du Nord - Sage Gateshead.

FRI 10 Robert Mitchell - Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. 

SAT 11 & SUN 12 Jazz Stage - Mouth of the Tyne Festival, Tynemouth. Afternoon, outdoor stage. 

FRI 17 Zoë Gilby Trio - Bishop Auckland Town Hall. 1:00pm. 

FRI 17-SUN 19 Summertyne Americana - Sage Gateshead.

SUN 19 River City Hot Six - Black Bull, Blaydon. Blaydon Jazz Club. 

FRI 24 FINNTET - Gala Theatre, Durham. 1:00pm. 

AUGUST 2020

SAT 1 Michael Bublé - Durham County Cricket Club, Chester le Street. 

FRI 7 Savannah Jazz Band - Saltburn Community Hall & Theatre.  

THU 13 - SUN 16 Newcastle Jazz Festival. Inc. THU 13 Strictly Smokin' Big Band - Bridge Hotel; FRI 14 Jay Phelps Quartet - Newcastle Civic Centre; SAT 15 All Day Festival (inc. Dennis Rollins Velocity Trio) - Tyne Bank Brewery; SUN 16 TBC. 

SEPTEMBER 2020

THU 10 Abbie Finn Trio - Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Rescheduled date.

FRI 11 Jeff Barnhart - Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. American piano virtuoso. 

FRI 11 Tango Jazz Quartet - Saltburn Community Hall & Theatre.

SAT 12 Jeff Barnhart's Silent Comedy Film Festival (reel 3) - St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. 
  
THU 17-SUN 20 Hexham Abbey Festival of Music & Arts. Inc. FRI 18 Diáspora (twelve piece Latin, salsa, jazz & funk band). 

FRI 25 Doris Day Story - Customs House, South Shields. Rescheduled date. 

OCTOBER 2020

WED 30 SEP-SUN 4 OCT Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music. Various venues. www.newcastlefestivalofjazzandimprovisedmusic.com 

SAT 3 John Pope Quintet - Maltings Theatre & Cinema, Berwick.

WED 14 Jamie Cullum - Sage Gateshead. Rescheduled date.

TUE 20 Ashley Henry - The Cluny, Newcastle. Rescheduled date.

SAT 24 East Coast Swing Band - The Exchange, North Shields. 

NOVEMBER  2020

FRI 30 OCT-SUN 1 NOV Mike Durham's International Classic Jazz Party - Village Hotel, North Tyneside.

SAT 7 TJ Johnson - St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.

SAT 7 James Birkett & Emma Fisk - St Andrews Church, Corbridge.

THU 12 Yazz Ahmed Polyhymnia - Sage Gateshead. Rescheduled date. 

SAT 14 Tenement Jazz Band - St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.

SAT 14 GoGo Penguin - Sage Gateshead. Rescheduled date.

FRI 20 Alan Barnes w Dean Stockdale Trio - Traveller's Rest, Darlington (Opus 4 Jazz Club). 

SAT 21 Hot Club du Nord - The Witham, Barnard Castle.

FRI 27 Hot Club du Nord - St Cuthbert's Centre, Crook.

DECEMBER 2020

SAT 5 River City Hot Six - St Augustine’s Parish Centre. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.

THU 10 Hot Club du Nord - Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee.

SUN 13 Hot Club du Nord - Hurworth Village Hall (2:00pm).

FRI 18 Strictly Smokin' Big Band - Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. First night of two. Always a sell out - book now: www.strictly-smokin.co.uk

SAT 19 Strictly Smokin' Big Band - Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Second night of two. Always a sell out - book now: www.strictly-smokin.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2021

SAT 6 Frog & Henry - St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. Expanded ten piece band from New Orleans! No advance tickets, pay on the door. 

SAT 27 Pete Long w Strictly Smokin' Big Band - Sage Gateshead. Duke Ellington programme!


MARCH 2021

THU 4 Crooners - Gala Theatre, Durham. Rescheduled date. 

SAT 27 Hamish McGregor's 'Barber, Ball & Bilk' - St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.

MAY 2021

SAT 1 Jeff Barnhart - St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. 

FRI 21 Andrea Vicari Trio - Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. 

FRI 21 Andrea Vicari Trio - Traveller's Rest, Darlington. Opus 4 Jazz Club. 

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