Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Geordie Jazz Jam @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Newcastle University jam session. All welcome.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

Fri 27: Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! A Blue Patch album tour.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Radio Hito + Eddie Prévost, Silvain Schmid & Tom Wheatley @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.22., £10.10., £8.00.
Fri 27: Giacomo Smith w Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

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

Sunday, August 23, 2020

Sarah Ellen Hughes Update

In the early days of BSH one of the names that frequently popped up was Sarah Ellen Hughes. We heard her a couple of times at the Cherry Tree in Jesmond, the Customs House in South Shields (see photo), Scarborough Jazz Festival as well as on her home turf at the Spice of Life in Soho and then, this NYJO graduate disappeared off our radar. Goodbye jazz, hello teaching was the last we heard.

Until Friday night ...

On Friday, Sarah, now Sarah Frecknall, reappeared  with a live stream on Facebook. I was late getting to the party so, sadly, I only heard the last few numbers but, it was enough to tell me the girl still had it.

I needed to know more. To find out why she'd left/returned to jazz. Her change of name - marriage no doubt - future plans, next livestream, what she had for breakfast ... over to you Sarah ...

Sarah: "I’m still teaching and living in Hertfordshire with my husband and 3-yr-old son. I went part-time after giving birth and it’s the best decision I ever made! I absolutely love my teaching job (music teaching to primary-aged children) and still have time for my family and to pursue other interests including knitting and teaching the local choir."

"I have still kept a hand in the live music world, as I’m a member of the touring group Roots of Jazz. We travel to different churches - mostly in the home counties - to present a concert about the history of jazz and how it relates to the biblical story of slavery. It’s a really interesting project and gives me a chance to blow my pipes on some fabulous gospel songs!  We do concerts about once a month, and I’m able to fit it into my life as it requires no rehearsal or promotion from me - something which was incredibly challenging and in the end, a nail in the coffin of my self-promoted jazz career."

"As a result of this continued live singing, I know I’m still capable of presenting a concert - even though I’ve forgotten most of the words of the standards I used to sing! So when a friend asked if I would be keen to perform at a fundraising gig for a local music centre in trouble, I was more than happy to get involved."

"I’m still Sarah Ellen Hughes as a performer, but getting married in 2014 gave me the surname Frecknall."

"There are no future plans for any more jazz or live-streaming! But now that I know it can be done, I’ll be happy to take on more fundraising if it comes up. However, I’m mindful that so many ex-colleagues and friends have lost months' worth of income over this pandemic, so I do not want to take work away from them as lockdown eases, given it is no longer my job."

"For breakfast I had toasted tea cakes!"

Lance: Thanks Sarah.

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