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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. 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

Monday, August 17, 2020

Sunday August 23 @ 8:00pm: Live Music From the Globe - The Alice Grace Quartet

(Press release)

Live music from The Globe! … But you can only watch it on a screen, for now.
On Sunday 23 August the Alice Grace Quartet will be performing at The Globe. The gig will be streamed live and you can watch it again at any time. The Globe will remain closed to the public so please do not try to attend the gig in person. We are planning to allow audiences in The Globe as soon as we can accommodate them safely and within government guidelines.


A vocal-led jazz quartet, characterised by thoughtful melodies, snappy inter-play and improvisation. With a choice of repertoire inspired by the greats of the bebop era and the contemporary sounds of artists such as Chick Corea and Norma Winstone. For Alice, being a singer is more than being a story-teller. As well as performing both jazz standards and original tunes, Alice treats her voice like a horn, taking the audience on an energetic and creative journey.

Line Up: Alice Grace – vocals; Mark Williams – guitar; Paul Grainger - double bass; Russ Morgan – drums.


So that the musicians can get paid, we ask you to pay a small ‘entrance fee’, which we recommend should be £5 per person. If you are able to pay a bit more this will be really welcome at this time when gig income for musicians has almost completely stopped.

TO VIEW THE LIVESTREAM GIG PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING:

1. Make a donation via the following link. https://bit.ly/3gBCoNIDonate what you can

afford, £5 per person is the suggested minimum. Please do so as early as possible, as a rush of requests just before the gig may result in some people missing the start.

2. When we have received notification of your donation we will send you an email with instructions on how to view the livestream. Please note that this is not an automated process. Our volunteers may not respond immediately. Also remember that our message will go to the email account associated with your payment which may not be the one you usually use.

3. We recommend that you access and save the link as soon as you receive our instructions. On Sunday 23 August 'doors open' at 7.45pm to give you time to check your set up, get comfortable and chat with other members of the audience.

ABOUT ALICE GRACE

Alice Grace is a British jazz singer whose career began touring with established UK jazz big band The National Youth Jazz Orchestra and guest singing with the James Pearson Trio at the famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, before landing a place to continue her musical education at the London Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.

Alice sang with a variety of jazz and soul ensembles performing at prestigious venues such as The Southbank Centre, The Barbican and the Royal Albert Hall in London, as well as more intimate jazz venues across the UK and Europe, sharing the stage with some of her biggest jazz influences; Norma Winstone, Jacqui Dankworth, Cleveland Watkiss and Pete Churchill.

Since graduating with BMus Hons in 2010, Alice’s performing has taken her to many countries, including a two year stint in the Middle East where she co-founded Time Out award-winning band The Swing Revue; performing a packed schedule of high profile events and helping build a hugely successful residency at Jazz Pizza Express.

On returning to the UK, Alice joined her husband in the north-east of England. Here she continues her work in all aspects of music: performing, recording and teaching.

As the lead female singer with the Strictly Smokin’ Big Band, Alice performs regularly around the north of the UK, sharing the stage with jazz A-listers including Joe Stilgoe, Polly Gibbons, Bruce Adams, Alan Barnes, Paul Booth, Hailey Tuck, Anthony Strong and Mark Nightingale.

2018 saw the recording of duo album ‘A Timeless Place’ by Alice and guitarist Pawel Jedrzejewski, following their performance for the Jazz North East ‘Women Make Music’ series, as well as performances in Italy and Ibiza with jazz comrades The Playhouse Band.

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