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

18602 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 466 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 8) 17

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

Sun 14: Front Porch Band: Swing Tyne’s Swing Social @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations (£5.00. - £10.00. suggested). Swing dance event w. taster class (12:30pm).
Sun 14: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 14: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Doctor Jazz @ The Old Church, Sacriston, Durham. 3:00-5:00pm . Free (donations welcome). New Orleans, blues & classic 20th century songs. Food & soft drinks available, BYOB.
Sun 14: Eddie Gripper Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Gripper (piano); Clem Saynor (double bass); Patrick Barrett-Donlon (drums). Americana album tour.

Mon 15: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 15: Dan Johnson w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 16: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 16: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 18: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: 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 19: Joe Steels Group @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 19: Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £14.33., £11.16., £8.00.
Fri 19: Martin Litton @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 (inc. bf); £6.50 (inc. bf); £15.00 on the door. Solo piano. CANCELLED!
Fri 19: Jools Holland’s R&B Orchestra @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Joe Webb support set.
Fri 19: Hot Club du Nord @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 19: Jive Aces: The Roots of Rock & Roll @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00 + bf.

Sat 20: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer Festival, Corbridge. 5:00-6:00pm.
Sat 20: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 20: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Trinity Church, Gosforth, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. NCRO w. guests Dean Stockdale & Nick Ward.

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Jazz North’s Northern Online Broadcasts for The Body and Soul

(Press release)
Jazz North’s Northern Online Broadcasts festival is back for its 4th year, and this time there will be a more holistic approach to help those in lockdown as it follows the theme ‘Body and Soul’. From Wednesday 6th to Saturday 9th May Jazz North will re-stream performances from its northern line showcase from Lancaster Jazz Festival in September 2019 and, in between performances, viewers can also do some yoga, cook a meal and drop-in to a social gathering, all online.

Broadcast from Jazz North’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, there will be performances from Jazz North northern line artists Beyond Albedofreese trioJohn Pope QuintetNishla Smith QuinetNot Now CharlieRafe's Dilemma and SogoRock. Before each midday performance will be yoga with Jason Scott and before each 8pm performance will be a practical cooking demonstration by four experienced northern jazz chefs.


Jazz North’s Digital Director and organiser of Northern Online Broadcasts, Nigel Slee, says it’s important to add a holistic element to this year’s festival. “The online world is very different to when the festival first started four years ago,” he says. “This year it’s not just the music, but the whole experience of a festival that can help people in this lockdown. It’s important to remember the whole body – we need to think about exercise and eating properly in order to live a balanced life. So, we’ve packed it all in to make an exciting programme of music, exercise, food, get togethers, interviews and discussions - what better way to incorporate that festival vibe, where you can experience food from around the world and do a yoga morning session, than to include it in our online festival? It’s a great way to try something new, feel good and enjoy the best jazz the north has to offer.”

Presenters Megan Roe (J Frisco) and John Pope (Archipelago, Ponyland and his own Quintet) will pull this full schedule together, which also includes panel discussions with European jazz festival directors and national jazz organisations, as well as an opportunity for artists to socialise at afternoon Zoom drop ins. Megan and John will be interviewing artists and promoters from different areas in the north for ‘Northern Scenes’ – a chance to find out anything from how they are reacting to the current situation to what it’s like being involved with Jazz North’s northern line.
  • Tue 5 May 2pm - Pre-festival Zoom Drop In for promoters (contact Lucy@jazznorth.org to join)
  • Jazz North’s Northern Online Broadcasts
    Wednesday 6th - Saturday 9th May 11am – 9pm:
  • Salvo’s – a family run Leeds Italian restaurant and salumeria. Owner Gip Dammone is an avid jazz enthusiast and founder member of Leeds's legendary DIG! Family, chroniclers of the jazz and groove underground in the north of England from the mid 1980's through to today. Gip has cooked for countless artists including James Brown and Jimmy Smith.

  • The Corner Café – a family run Leeds Indian restaurant run by Karin and Kate that welcomes regulars UK jazz artists Ed Jones, Matt Roberts and Matt Anderson.

  • Geoff Amos – a seasoned 50-year veteran of the UK jazz scene, artist tour manager and festival manager of the Brecon Jazz Festival. As a tour manager Geoff has come to the rescue on numerous occasions when faced with closed restaurants and unsuitable menu options. Geoff has cooked for US jazz legends Bobby Hutcherson and McCoy Tyner plus Van Morrison, John Etheridge, Mats Gustafsson and northern favourites Nikki Iles and Mike Walker.

  • Jazz North is the jazz development agency in the north funded by Arts Council England as a sector support organisation. Established in 2012 with a ground-breaking approach to supporting and nurturing jazz across the north, it uses the power of collective partnership working to build networks between musicians, educators, promoters and venues, to grow audiences for jazz and to inspire children and young people to make music.


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