Total Pageviews

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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Bellavana @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30-10:00pm. Free. A Late Shows event.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Friday, July 17, 2020

New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings - Press Release (July 2020)


Launching this October in association with the Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music we are crowdfunding to establish a bespoke, ethically driven record label run by artists in which to present unique international jazz and improvisation.
New ideas and new sounds for a new decade.

Pre-order our first releases, pay it forward and pledge to be part of something new as we put down the foundations for an environmentally-friendly label supporting artist independence, investing in independent music studios and supporting carbon neutral sustainable businesses to manufacture and deliver our products.


Established in 2017, the Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music was set to present the fourth edition this coming October 2020, but like many others, due to Covid-19, it is not possible to stage this year's event.

The idea of a label directly associated with the festival has been considered for a number of years, and now with some freedom of time, and a lack of live performance situations on offer to artists and audiences, we’ve decided this is a great moment to put alternative plans to action.
Whilst the postponement of this year's festival was not a decision anyone wished to make, it has been taken to ensure the wellbeing of all involved.

However, with restless energy and putting the little grey cells into action, we hope to react positively and creatively by continuing to present high-quality jazz and improvised music through a different channel.

NEW JAZZ AND IMPROVISED MUSIC RECORDINGS

Our initial crowdfunder has been launched to generate enough income for our first three releases with audiences buying advance copies, or simply investing into our set up costs.
The level of funding is set to cover the production costs of manufacturing our first three ecologically friendly CD pressings, alongside some studio costs and creating an online digital presence through a website and Bandcamp.

The Artistic Director and Producer of Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music will work closely with local and international musicians, graphic designers and studio engineers to create high-quality bespoke releases, with every aspect of the music production through to graphic artwork and presentation given full attention to detail.

Given the international nature of releases and flexibility currently required with social distancing, recordings will come from a number of studios and live performance situations. In Newcastle Upon Tyne future plans include working with both Blast and Blank Studios in Ouseburn for recording and mastering to ensure the high quality audio of each release.

There are no festival tickets to buy this year but we sincerely hope audiences might invest in this new initiative as we continue to engage world class jazz and improvising musicians and encourage sustainability for crucial independent music studios and carbon neutral manufacturing plants.

RELEASES and PRODUCTION

Each release will be presented through CD’s in Eco Digipacks made entirely from 100% recycled card, egg boxes and cork. Sleeves will also be banded with a recycled matt card Obi strip adding a collectors element and emphasising the unique label identity. Further emphasising the sustainable nature of our releases each digipack will be housed in 100% compostable and biodegradable environmentally friendly wrap.

Our products will be manufactured in a carbon neutral pressing plant using 100% renewable energy and similarly delivered through a carbon neutral courier, finally arriving at your door in fully recyclable and biodegradable packaging envelopes.

THE ARTISTS and PROJECT RELEASES
JOHN POPE QUINTET
Project Release: Debut Album

Featuring John Pope (Bass) / Faye MacCalman (Tenor Saxophone and Clarinet) / Jamie Stockbridge (Alto Saxophone) / Graham Hardy (Trumpet) / Johnny Hunter (Drums) The debut album from the Northern UK based Quintet with recording dates set for this coming October and a subsequent album support tour throughout 2021.
Releasing: January 2021

PAUL TAYLOR
Project Release: Via

An urgent collection of new Solo Piano recordings entitled 'Via' recorded in March 2020 just prior to lockdown measures being imposed.
Releasing: December 2020

LAURA TOXVAERD / JACOB ANDERSKOV / MARIA FAUST
Project Release: Live from Winterjazz in Copenhagen 2020

The Danish / Estonian Trio of Saxophones and Piano recorded live at Winterjazz in Copenhagen,

February 2020.
Releasing: November 2020

Please do help to spread the word and for more details to engage with this project visit...

No comments :

Blog Archive