Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

October.

Tue 06: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Paul Grainger (double bass).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Murray Oak, Paul Grainger, John Bradford.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. First night of two.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Saturday, August 15, 2020

NJF 2020: Jazz in Lockdown (panel discussion) - August 15

What have musicians been doing in lockdown? Alyn Shipton asked three well known figures - Paul Edis, Jo Harrop and Dennis Rollins - to contribute their thoughts in a non-round table Zoom platform discussion as part of today's Newcastle Jazz Festival. From not putting petrol in the tank to not getting on a plane to St Lucia to perhaps finding a way to gig for real, our talking heads chewed the pandemic fat.


Mr Shipton wondered what each panel member had been doing during lockdown. Dennis confessed that for a few weeks he hadn't touched his trombone although latterly he had been looking to online teaching and planning ahead to tour his Velocity Trio and downsizing his Funky Funk outfit in the belief promoters coming out of lockdown won't be willing to book much more than a quartet. Jo spoke of the very real issue of home schooling kids and the difficulty (impossibility?) of being creative when the demands/needs of children in these strange times are pretty much 24/7. Paul pointed to a need to be busy, to have a routine, hence a run of twenty consecutive Friday lunchtime solo piano live streams.

All three musicians have projects on the go or in suspended animation; albums recorded, albums released (Jo Harrop and Jamie McCredie's Weathering the Storm described by one national newspaper jazz critic as 'perfect'), gigs scheduled (and likely to be rescheduled again!), the energy is there, the creativity is there. Our three contributors did express concern for young musicians and those graduating from music schools. Hustling for gigs is hard enough at the best of times, for the new kids on the block the next few weeks and months will be a test of their metal. In summary, this Newcastle Jazz Festival Zoom event gave the impression that, despite everything, the participants were optimistic about the future. It's the only way to be, isn't it?

At seven o'clock Leeds based Jasmine will be online, and, at 7:30, festival headliner Jay Phelps will close the show.  

Newcastle Jazz Festival 2020 online is free to view. If you wish to make a donation visit: www.newcastlejazzfestival.co.uk
Russell
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