Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18621 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 485 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 14) 37

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

From This Moment On

June

Tue 23: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 23: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 25: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 25: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Forgotten Ones & Any Quintets.
Thu 25: Edgar Ho Trio @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Brilliant alto sax, piano & double bass trio. Unmissable!
Thu 25: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 26: Finn-Keeble Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9:00.
Fri 26: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 26: Clark Tracey @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Newcastle Jazz Festival. £26.00. Day 1/2.

Sat 27: OUTRI @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £13.01. 1:00-1:45pm. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2.
Sat 27: House of the Black Gardenia + Magpies of Swing @ The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sat 27: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 2:15-3:15pm. £13.01. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2.
Sat 27: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 3:45-4:45pm. £13.01. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2.
Sat 27: Rory Ingham @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 5:30-6:30pm. £19.51. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2. Ingham w. Dean Stockdale, Ian Paterson, Dave McKeague.
Sat 27: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 27: Laura Jurd @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £26.00. Newcastle Jazz Festival. Day 2/2. Sat 27: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

Sun 28: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 28: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: Tim Kliphuis Trio @ St Mary’s Church, Wooler. 3:00pm. £18.00., £6.00. A Wooler Arts Summer Concerts event. Tim Kliphuis (violin); Nigel Clark (guitar); Roy Percy (double bass).
Sun 28: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: An Evening of Jazz @ St James’ Church, Copper Chare, Morpeth. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 from 01670 788869 or 01670 519923. Mid Northumberland Chorus (MD Robin Forbes, Emma Straughan, piano) w. jazz trio featuring Edgar Ho, Oscar Ho & Dave McKeague & special guest Emily Masser. Performance inc. Bob Chilcott’s A Little Jazz Mass + George Shearing’s Songs & Sonnets.
Sun 28: Led Bib @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.00., £12.00. JNE.

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Midweek at Small's, NYC (Mar. 22-24)

Ari Hoenig Trio - Mar. 22 

(Screenshot by Russell)
Gadi Lehavi (piano); Ben Tiberio (double bass); Ari Hoenig (drums)

New York is currently under stricter lockdown measures, as a result Small's has once again been obliged to close its doors to audiences. The good news is live streams are able to continue. Ari Hoenig returned on Monday evening to play another trio gig - same pianist as last time, Gadi Lehavi, different bass player, Ben Tiberio. 

Two or three numbers from Hoenig's most recent visit to the Greenwich Village venue were once again in the set list, a varied set list at that. First up, George Shearing's Conception. On a Hoenig gig the bandleader is clearly the driving force, if not literally, metaphorically. Ellington and Monk, a couple of original compositions, Hoenig certainly mixed it up with Lehavi and Tiberio very much on Hoenig's wavelength throughout the one hour set. 

Set list: Conception; Lines of Oppression; Sophisticated Lady; Steps; Lana; Well, You Needn't

Steve Nelson Quartet - Mar. 23 

(Screenshot by Russell)
Steve Nelson (vibes); Rick Germanson (piano); Kiyoshi Kitagawa (double bass); Charles Goold (drums) 

Vibes man Steve Nelson doesn't say much. In fact, he doesn't say anything. If it wasn't for Small's MC introducing his quartet, the online audience could be forgiven for not knowing who was on stage! Nelson was the focal point although pianist Rick Germanson did get a look in, and the bass and drums pairing did more than what was required of them. The opening number, Oh, Lady be Good!, just about stole the show, a good show at that. 

Tardo Hammer Trio - Mar. 24 


(Screenshot by Russell)
Tardo Hammer (piano); Lee Hudson (double bass); Steve Williams (drums)

Harold Arlen's Ill Wind opened Tardo Hammer's set. This was BSH's first encounter with the pianist who, for many years, worked with Annie Ross. Accompanying the New Yorker at Small's were two friends, bassist Lee Hudson and drummer Steve Williams.

One online audience member declared: Hammertime! Others greeted Steve Williams' participation with delight. The hour long live stream of GASbook numbers gave Tardo Hammer the opportunity to put his stamp on the material. A fine player is Tardo, full name Richard Alan Hammer, Hudson and Williams perfectly attuned to the pianist's approach. Other gems in this mid-week set included Richard Rodgers' I Didn't Know What Time it Was and RandyWeston's Hi-Fly. 
Russell
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