Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

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, October 26, 2020

12,000 not out and still bopping...


Wow! We've now reached 12,000 posts since BSH began in 2008. What began with very modest aims has now had almost four and a half million page views from all over the world.

Although our main emphasis has been covering jazz in all its many forms in the north east our writers also travel to the London Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scott's, Pizza Express, Spice of Life and other clubs in the capital. 

Festivals in Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Scarborough and elsewhere are covered along with occasional reports from our continental ops, as well as visits to Wisconsin for the annual Bix Fest and, of course, Hong Kong, where our good friend, broadcaster and bandleader Colin Aitchison, makes our presence known via interviews with myself and other local musicians.

On the home front we've covered prestigious events at Sage Gateshead, in Darlington and Durham, and Mike Durham's International Classic Jazz Party as well as smaller, but no less important gigs promoted by the Jazz Co-op, Jazz North East, Newcastle Arts Centre (Black Swan), Hoochie Coochie, the Prohibition Bar and, naturally, its illustrious predecessor, the Jazz Café run by the charismatic Keith Crombie who, sadly, is probably now creating havoc "up there" or, as is more likely, "down there". The grass roots traditional jazz venues and numerous jam sessions across the region are visited and reported on by various members of our team. I'm not going to mention names as there are too many and I'm bound to overlook someone.

So, wherever you are today, raise a glass of your favourite tipple and toast - not me or any of us - but to the concept of Bebop Spoken Here which, as it says on the masthead, is "Updating the world about jazz in the north east of England and updating the north east of England about jazz in the world".

Lance

PS: Oh, I almost forgot to mention that in 2018 we won the APPJAG Media category - my middle names is Modesty!

PPS: Image is of our first ever flier!

5 comments :

Roly Veitch said...

Congratulations Lance. I remember you distributing those fliers and cards. Amazing to think where it is now. Best wishes. Roly

The LondonJazz site said...

Lance it’s a phenomenal achievement !!!

Jude Murphy (on F/b) said...

What an achievement Lance! X

Patti said...

I'll raise a glass or two tonight to toast your amazing achievement, Lance! xx

Ken D said...

Crikey ! That' 1000 per Year !! Congratulations on making that number, and on the number of your Blog-Followers ! Ken

Blog Archive