Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 2026.

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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Northern Edge Coffee, Silver St., Berwick. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Stedman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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, March 24, 2021

Jazz gets reset!

(Press release)

JazzReset21 @SevenArts Leeds, live and online, 20 May – 22 July

A massive programme of live jazz music has been announced for 2021 in Leeds to get the live jazz scene going again after lockdown.

Called JazzReset21 and running for three months, the programme will feature dozens of COVID-safe events, concerts and masterclasses by established and emerging artists, from Ian Shaw on 27 May to Byron Wallen on 17
June .The programme is part of an attempt to bring live jazz back to Leeds, and sees live music promoters JazzLeeds in partnership with Chapel Allerton arts space, Seven Arts.

Amongst the artists involved are international jazz superstar singer Ian Shaw, exciting trumpet player Byron Wallen,  sax woman Josephine Davies’s spiritual jazz group “Satori”, superb pianists Liam Noble and Andrew McCormack, Leeds bassist Adrian Knowles and his “Sound of 59” audio visual reimagining of music by Monk, Miles and Mingus and Rafe’s Dilemma with their musical collaborations with Northern playwrights. JazzRest21 starts with   a new sextet led by Leeds based Scottish trumpeter Malcolm Strachan “About Time” on 20th May at Seven Arts. 

In addition to established artists, JazzReset21 will champion rising stars and young talent from Leeds. The Sunday afternoon programme at Seven Arts will include College Collection – two concert from some of the final year students at Leeds Conservatoire offering them their first chance to perform in over a year. There will also be a special Sunday concert by Leeds singer Louise Gibbs, with veteran saxists Frank Griffith  with a tribute to Duke Ellington

Says organiser Steve Crocker –“People have been starved of live music for so long, and musicians are itching to perform again live. We were the only jazz club presenting live music in the UK last summer and have the opportunity to present an even more ambitious programme this year

More details : www.jazzleeds.org.uk.

Steve Crocker  (JazzLeeds).

JazzReset21 programme @Seven Arts, 31 Harrogate Road, Leeds LS73PD.

9 and 16 May – College Collection 21. Leeds Conservatoire and JazzLeeds present music from rising star jazz students from the Conservatoire 1.30pm – live stream only.

20 May: “About Time” Malcolm Strachan’s new sextet featuring with Nico Widdowson, piano, Courtny Tomas double bass, Erroll Rollins drums, Atholl Ransome, tenor saxophone, Danny Barley trombone, and Malcolm himself on trumpet -  live and livestream options 7.30pm.

23 May: Tessa Smith Quintet – jazz singer, choir organiser and Lindy Hopper Tessa Smith with a quintet featuring Stuart McDonald on sax. 1.30pm live performance.

30 May: “We love you madly” – Louis Gibbs with a tribute to the music of Duke Ellington featuring Frank Griffith on sax and Richard Wetherall piano - live and livestream options 1.30pm.

27 May*: International singing superstar (and one-time stand-up comedian) Ian Shaw - “What’s New” with saxman Iain Ballamy and pianist Jamie Safir piano presenting music from their lockdown album - 2 concerts 7pm and 9.00pm,  live and livestream options.

3 June Liam Noble “The Long Game” feat Liam Noble piano, Seb Rochford drums and Tom Herbert bass. 7.30pm live and livestream options.

10 June "Satori", spiritual jazz trio with Josephine Davies tenor, Dave Whitford bass and James Maddren drums. 7.30pm live and livestream options.

17 June: Byron Wallen “Four Corners” with Byron Wallen trumpet, Rob Luft, guitar, Paul Michael bass, Rod Young drums - live and livestream options.

24 June: Andrew McCormack solo and trio – Andrew McCormack piano, Joe Downard on bass and Rod Youngs on drums - live and livestream options.

8 July "Rafe’s Dilemma" celebrate their new collaborations with local playwrights featuring Nel Begley on vocals, Jamil Sheriff keyboards, Sam Vicary bass, and Katie Patterson drums - live and livestream options.

22 July "Sound of 59" celebrate the music of that famous jazz year with Joel Purnell tenor saxophone, Jim Corry alto saxophone, Mark Chandler trumpet, Kevin Holbrough trombone, Jason Scott piano, Adrian Knowles double bass, Caroline Boaden drums - live and livestream options.

Thursday evenings concerts starting time 7.30pm (except *) Sunday afternoon concerts starting time 1.30pm. Tickets in advance only, limited seating. Live performance with livestream options. Tickets are on sale here: www.ticketsource.co.uk/jazzleeds  More gigs be announced soon including community jam sessions, rush hour jazz in the Seven Arts bar and a mini summer jazz festival! All in the superb intimate atmosphere of Seven Arts, with table service, great music, licensed bar, reduced numbers social distancing. Tickets in advance only with livestream options.

Contact - Steve Crocker (info@jazzleeds.org.uk, 07544 352594)

JazzLeeds are proud to acknowledge the help and support we receive/havereceived from: Arts at Leeds, Leeds Inspired, Arts Council England, Seven Arts Leeds

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