Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
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: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

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, December 20, 2020

A Christmas Sunday Service with Adrian Cox & Nils Solberg - Dec. 20

Adrian Cox (clarinet, vocals); Nils Solberg (guitar, vocals)

The last one of the year. Plans to live stream from Gun Hill Studios with Liane Carroll were shelved some days ago. Stepping into the breach, Adrian Cox's old sparring partner, Mr. Nils Solberg. Cox and Solberg have worked together many times over the the last decade, including several lockdown Sunday Service sermons. The pair engaged in some convivial conversation before beginning today's set. Much hilarity as neither could remember the title of the first number! Eventually, with much snapping of fingers...You Took Advantage of Me, Adrian singing. Anything Adrian could do...Nils sang Walking My Baby Back Home
A request for Stardust...'before 1:30'! Anything to oblige, at 1:18, Adrian and Nils played it to an early afternoon Facebook audience of no fewer than 115 fans (Adrian, clarinet and vocals, Nils guitar accompaniment). Right, folks said Adrian. It's Christmas. So our duo played a relaxed I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas, Adrian singing, Nils chipping in. Sy Oliver's Opus One (a hit for Tommy Dorsey, popular with fans of Ted Heath), joint vocals, festival bonhomie! A glance at the set list, If You Were the Only Girl in the World with some superb guitar playing from Nils. Me and My Shadow, Nils singing, Adrian's turn to chip in, reminiscent of Morecambe and Wise. 

Adrian looked out of the window, the clouds had cleared, saying he'd like to play Nuage, Nils quipping: You cannot be Cirrus!  How very droll! Nils turn to sing one - You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You. Adrian suggested Nils could sing the next one. Nils replied: We'll both sing it, I don't want to take the blame! Adrian requested the audience sing along. Altogether now...Just hear those sleigh bells jingling...Several choruses later, Adrian motioned to his pal Nils; One and out Time to go, two tunes, back to back...When You're Smiling, slow tempo, then with a swish of Adrian's liquorice stick, double time, fun time. And to close, the boys went out swinging on Santa Claus is Comin' to Town (this Friday, tier restrictions or not). Adrian Cox's Sunday Service will return in January. 
Russell             

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