Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (DownBeat May, 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

18548 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 412 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 19) 66

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

May

Mon 25: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 26: Noel Dennis Sextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £12.00. A Miles Davis centenary concert (Davis b. 26. 5. 1926). Noel Dennis (trumpet); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums). SOLD OUT!
Tue 26: Lagos to Longbenton @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 27: Neighbourhood Watch + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00. Rivkala (solo).

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Miles Davis & His Favourite Musicians.
Thu 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 28: Bobby Rush @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. + bf. Veteran USA bluesman.
Thu 28: Squabble @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 28: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.

Sat 30: Giles Strong Quartet @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £1.50 bf.

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

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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