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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 2025).

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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Tue 29: ???

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + Open Mic Night participants.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

Sat 03: Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Summer Samba Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 03: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Postmodern Jukebox @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:30pm. Free.

Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 04: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 04: Ben Crosland Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. 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

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Preview: Newcastle Jazz Festival 2020 (Aug 13-16)

This year's Newcastle Jazz Festival is scheduled to take place over four days in August (13-16). It could be Britain will still be in lockdown but positive thinking never did anyone any harm so here's hoping the second annual event goes ahead! Festival organisers have released details of musicians and venues and it has all the makings of a memorable few days. 


The Strictly Smokin' Big Band's regular rehearsal night at the Bridge Hotel acts as the festival curtainraiser. As usual the night (Thursday 13, 7:00pm) will be free admission although for this one a ticket is required. As a stand alone gig this promises to be an unmissable occasion. On the Friday night (August 14) head to Newcastle Civic Centre for a rare Tyneside appearance by Jay Phelps. The British resident Canadian trumpeter first hit the headlines as a member of Empirical. The first floor Pandon Room just off Ceremonial Way plays host to Phelps' quartet. Tickets £10 & £8. 

Saturday (August 15) sees the return of the all day event at the Tyne Bank Brewery. Last year proved to be an unqualified success as a full house (see photo) enjoyed a day of top class jazz with Tyne Bank beers flowing and street food vendors doing a roaring trade in burgers, pizzas, wraps and more. This year the line-up (with one band still to be confirmed) looks like this: Dennis Rollins Velocity TrioAlice Grace & Pawel JedrzejewskiJasmine (a Leeds-based band led by alto saxophonist Jasmine Whalley), Mick Shoulder's Swing Manouche and the Sue Ferris Quartet. Tickets £15 - book now!

Sunday (August 16) won't cost you a bean (now there's a bargain!). The action includes the trumpet-guitar pairing of Pete 'Strictly Smokin'' Tanton and Lloyd Wright (venue TBC) and at the Tyneside Cinema a screening (free of charge, ticket required) of Abi Lewis' award-winning documentary film Geordie Jazz Man (6:00pm) about Keith Crombie, the man who ran the Jazz Cafe on Pink Lane for twenty years and more. The weekend draws to a close with Emma Fisk and James Birkett entertaining cinema-goers. 

It's anyone's guess how the world will look like four months from now but one thing you can do right now is book your tickets to show support for a mid-summer jazz party which is definitely something to look forward to! 
Russell
Tickets: 

3 comments :

Michael Lamb said...

Thank you Russell! Our fingers are firmly crossed...

Anyone purchasing tickets can do so in the knowledge that if Covid wreaks havoc, everything is fully refundable!

Patti said...

Yeah! Let’s try and stay optimistic ...... keep on keeping up!

Steve T said...

While I'm quite happy sitting at home surrounded by piles of books, CDs and DVDs; like the next wo/man, I like a few beers down the local with Fen; preferably with some live music. If restrictions are lifted sooner,do we have a venue and a couple of bands ready to go?
Perhaps the way forward is to book larger venues but sell fewer tickets, not generally a problem with jazz. Mrs T thought this may cause problems in terms of providing adequate cleaning.
Big Bands should maybe be a little more concerned but, on the positive side, remember what happened the last time the Big Bands went down.
In the meantime, I'll be purchasing tickets for this come payday and remain - as they say - cautiously optimistic.

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