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

Monday, March 22, 2021

Geordie Jazz 'n' all that

(Photo by Lance)

Gary Hogg's Geordie Hour programme on Radio Tyneside plays anything and everything 'Geordie'. Musicians from the area, based in the area or having migrated to the centre of the universe (Tyneside) are given an airing on 93.6 FM and online to a worldwide (Geordie ex-pat) community at: Radio Tyneside


For the best part of seven decades Radio Tyneside has broadcast to the local hospital community and, over the years, to an ever-growing global audience. Most weeks Mr Hogg will play a track by a local jazz outfit or a track with jazz musicians on a recording. Sunday's edition opened with the Juggernaut Love Band, described by GH as one of the area's top function bands. In recent times the line-up has included Jamie Toms and Liam Gaughan, two well known faces to Tyneside's jazz audience. 

Those moderately successful pop stars Madonna and Prince can claim a Geordie connection thanks to Chester-le-Street born and bred Marcus Brown. Composer/pianist Brown, an adjudicator at the Great North Big Band Jazz Festival (2018 and 2019), for many years lived in Los Angeles immersed in the film industry and working with Madonna and the late Prince of Paisley Park. Yesterday's Geordie Hour featured Marcus playing keyboards on a track by his sister Georgia Brown

And to top things off, Roly Veitch, one of the region's most respected jazz guitarists (and one half of the Blaydon Aces alongside fellow guitarist and Honourary Geordie, James Birkett) was heard singing When This Aad Hat Was New. Aye, whenever you tune in to the Geordie Hour, you're sure to hear a Geordie! Tune in Sundays at 5:00pm or catch the repeat Wednesdays at 7:00pm.          

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