Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Mon 15: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 16: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Tue 16: A Jazzy Xmas @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Tue 16: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £29.00 (inc. bf). ‘Festive Lunch’. VCJ on stage 12 noon (three sets 'til 4:00pm).
Wed 17: Lazy River Band @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Veronica Perrin, Chris Perrin, John Farragher, Phil Rutherford
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Wed 17: A Jazzy Xmas @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ YOLO, Ponteland. 7:00pm. ‘Swing & Jazz Night’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 18: Joe Steels & Friends @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! .
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackosn’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Moses Boyd on Miles Davis' Nefertiti

(Press release)

World renowned listening concept series Classic Album Sundays is celebrating 10 years of hi-fidelity, immersive album experiences with the launch of free weekly live-streamed series, ‘My Classic Album’.  Funded by Arts Council England, the Sunday weekly show features an inspiring line-up of revered and cutting-edge guests including Kate Tempest, Goldie, Gary Crosby OBE, Black Midi, Nitin Sawhney with more to be announced.  The series will run alongside the platform’s  Patreon subscription service with monthly events, quizzes, webinars and sessions which have been joined by special guests like Giles Peterson, KT Tunstall, Joy Boyd and more.

The 2021 programming will kick start this Sunday 17th January at 8pm youtube.com/ClassicAlbumSundays - with a brand new episode featuring Moses Boyd.  Viewers will see Moses embarking on a deeply personal exploration of Miles Davis' benchmark album 'Nefertiti', including how just at 17 years old "everything changed" upon discovering the album, which not only shook the jazz landscape, but shaped his playing style and career.  This was a pivoting moment for Moses and one which has since led him to collaborate with many names including Little Simz, Floating Points and Beyonce.  Breaking down the record's "beautiful destruction" with an encyclopaedic yet accessible detail; Moses also gives rare insight into how Davis' further experimentation with electronic sounds and constant pushing of his band(s) has informed his creative process:

"A song is never really finished, you can always look at it from a different angle. This is what opened my eyes to looking into songs in a different way. Let's write a song but it's not done there, let's get it in a studio speed it up, let's slow it down...this album is such a good example of where music COULD go."


Hosted by CAS founder Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy, Worldwide FM broadcaster & DJ Tina Edwards, NTS DJ and ex Boiler Room host Raj Chauduri, the DIY concept series takes place in an intimate, one-on-one setting with artists taking a deep dive on an album that has defined their journey. Often providing a level of contemplation attributed to lockdown, each interview reveals incredibly profound and personal insights, allowing each seminal album to be seen and felt in a totally new way.

Kate Tempest kicked off the 2020 series giving a rich personal exploration of Roots Manuva's 'Brand New Second Hand. Reminiscing on being a teenager, hanging out at open mic nights at Carnaby Street's legendary Deal Real Records rubbing shoulders with rap giants like Skinny Man, Ghost Face Killa and Ty - to meeting Roots Manuva. Further episodes saw Gary Crosby OBE exploring Charles Mingus ‘The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady’ and Nitin Sawhney on his Mercury nominated album 'Beyond Skin' and spoken word performer, 

CAS Founder Colleen Murphy says: “I’m very excited about the ‘My Classic Album’ series as we are bringing together a diverse range of dynamic artists, celebrating records that have changed the cultural landscape. In-depth music listening is a healing force that is much needed in this challenging time, and these revealing interviews will inspire viewers to turn off from daily life and give the album a spin themselves. I’m also grateful to be in a position to help support the presenters, creatives and artists involved in the ‘My Classic Album’ series, which has been made possible by the Arts Council England Culture Recovery Fund.”

Funded by the Arts Council England Cultural Relief Fund, the series will help support the venue and creatives who are making episode possible, as well as the artists themselves. 

'My Classic Album’ returns streaming live on Sunday 17 Jan at 8pm via YouTube and Facebook 

Curtis

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