Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. 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 @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

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

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

No need to go to Montréal. Montréal is coming to you!

(Press release)

The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal presented by TD Bank Group in collaboration with Rio Tinto is pleased to announce some very good and welcome news: This summer, there will be live music! From June 27th to 30th, 2020, the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal presents a special edition of the Festival on our digital platforms.  


As an exclusive treat for music fans from all over the world this summer, the Festival will be taking digital platforms by storm, offering unique and dynamic musical content featuring many of the Festival’s favorite local artists performing live, filmed with extremely high-quality production value, worthy of the Festival standard. With invaluable support from TD Bank Group and Rio Tinto and our public partners the Government of Canada, the Government of Québec and the city of Montreal, this special edition of the Festival aims to create unique and memorable moments for loyal Festival goers, accessible via montrealjazzfest.com.  The digital shift for 2020 allows the Festival to maintain its role as a prominent platform for jazz music by continuing to reach more communities while adhering to the government's safety guidelines during the Covid-19 crisis.     



This special edition of the Festival is a gift for Montreal fans, the jazz community, the Festival team, partners, and to all the passionate music lovers all over the world who revel in the opportunity to be moved by something as magical as live music.  


The digital edition of the Festival includes a takeover of Montreal’s iconic L’Astral, on the ground floor of La Maison des Festivals in the heart of Quartier des Spectacles (home of the Festival), which has been transformed into a bespoke broadcast studio for this unique series of performances. For 4 days, some of the Festival’s favourite local artists will perform special sets that will be available for FREE online, which can be viewed by fans from the comfort of their own homes!  


Starting June 27th, on Canadian Multicultural Day, and for the duration of this special edition, the Festival will be celebrating once again this year with a dynamic lineup of artists showcasing the diverse talents and cultures that make up our country. Performances will take place every evening starting with the Apéros SAQ - a series of unique performances courtesy of some of the Festival's favourite artists, broadcast LIVE from L'Astral. There will then be exclusive sets, the Sessions TD and the Rythmes Rio Tinto, which are sure to please music fans of all ages, also filmed at L'Astral. This will be followed by a gem from the Festival archives of legendary concerts from past editions of the Festival. What’s more, the opening night will wrap up with a party, the Fin de soirée Loto-Québec, which everyone is invited to join. This special edition of the Festival on our digital platforms will feature the same high standard of production quality that attendees of the Festival have come to expect with a multi camera setup, helmed by director Maxime Théoret-Bissonnette (Bonsoir, Bonsoir -- Radio-Canada). Of course, all of this will be done while respecting all the public health guidelines established by the government for everyone working in the venue.  


The lineup of talent participating in the digital Festival is a veritable who’s who of local luminaries and some of the best artists the city has to offer. Fans will be wowed by unique performances from the likes of Quebec superstar Charlotte Cardin; piano wiz Jean-Michel Blais; Indie rock and blues champs The Barr Brothers; JUNO and Polaris Music prize-nominated singer-songwriter Dominique Fils-Aimée; Inuk singer, the soulful Elisapie; fan and Festival favourite Jordan Officer, as well as Pierre Kwenders; Alain Caron trio avec Paul Brochu et John Roney; Jeremy Dutcher; Jack Broadbent; Fredy V. & The Foundation; Clerel; Malika Tirolien; Jacques Kuba Séguin; Bïa; Rafael Zaldivar; Marianne Trudel; Naya Ali; Djely Tapa; Carl Mayotte; and Mateo. The full schedule will be announced in the coming days. 


“It is of the utmost importance for us to continue to bring the jazz Festival to the people”, says the Festival’s General Manager Jacques K. Primeau, “and despite the challenging circumstances this year, we are thrilled to be able to offer an innovative solution to get the music out to the fans! We are also extremely proud to offer artists a chance to do what they do best, perform for all of us!”  


All the exclusive live performances will also be available on demand separately on all the Jazz fest digital platforms right after the live broadcast each night.  


The Festival would like to extend a huge thank you to its collaborators, TD Bank GroupRio Tinto, the Government of Canada, the Government of Québec and the city of Montreal for believing in the project and for making this digital version of the Festival possible.  


‘It’s because of collaborators like TD Bank Group, Rio Tinto and the support of our public partners that we’re able to bring this special edition to Festival goers from across the globe… #JazzTogether is truly a community and a family affair! It’s incredible to see it all come together!” added Jacques K. Primeau. 


''Music brings us together and reminds us that we are all connected through shared passions and ideas even when we’re apart, mentions Sylvie Demers, Chair, Quebec Market, TD Bank Group.  That is why we are proud to support this special and unique edition of the Montreal International Jazz Festival'' 


The Festival would also like to extend its gratitude to all public and private partners and collaborators for supporting the Festival over the past 40 years:   


Thanks to the Festival’s presenting sponsor TD Bank Group and our co-presenting sponsor Rio Tinto for their renewed trust. As well as, Loto-Québec, la Société des Alcools du QuébecHeinekenHyundaiLes Producteurs de lait du Québec and other collaborators. 


The Festival would also like to thank the three levels of government and to the organizations for their constant support: the Government of Canada — Canada Economic Development, the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Musicaction Foundation —, the Government of Québec — the Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine and the SODEC —, as well as the city of Montréal and Tourisme Montréal


The Festival would also like to highlight the support of its media partners: Radio-CanadaLa Press & 98.5.


A warm and big THANK YOU to the entire Festival team under the leadership of Jacques K. Primeau and Laurent Saulnier for contributing to the production of this special edition of the Festival on our digital platforms and who work all year round to bring the magic of the Festival to life! To the artists whose collaboration in making this Festival so unique is tremendously appreciated, and above all, thanks to the fans, who will help the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal presented by TD Bank Group in collaboration with Rio Tinto with to shine again in 2021 and for many years to come.  


We are thrilled that the power of music is there to unite us once again! From June 27th to 30th 2020, Le Festival International de Jazz de Montréal’s special edition on our digital platforms is coming!  

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