Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Geordie Jazz Jam @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Newcastle University jam session. All welcome.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

Fri 27: Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! A Blue Patch album tour.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Radio Hito + Eddie Prévost, Silvain Schmid & Tom Wheatley @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.22., £10.10., £8.00.
Fri 27: Giacomo Smith w Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

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

Friday, April 30, 2021

International Jazz Day - Scottish National Jazz Orchestra

(Press release)

Hi, I’m in the 12th Century Cathedral of St. Giles, in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland, and just presented JAZZ to 10,000 Scottish primary school kids at 10:00 AM today on International Jazz Day, and as part of Scotland's first Assembly.

The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra are also filming tonight a fantastic symbiotic collaboration called WHERE RIVERS MEET with visual artist Maria Rud which will be released on May 12.

I’d like to welcome all of you to our celebration of International Jazz Day, where people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, and beliefs join forces and prove, without a doubt, that our similarities are more powerful than our differences.

Jazz is about freedom and will always be about freedom, freedom to expand, freedom to explore and to encourage and courage. Jazz keeps you evolving with its ever-evolving nature.

We give our heartfelt thanks and send our love to health workers worldwide for saving lives, working tirelessly day in day out.

And our most profound appreciation and gratitude to our heroes, the essential workers, putting their lives on the front line for total strangers due to the Coronavirus pandemic encircling our globe.

This year we’re still unable to perform live, but our hearts and gratefulness go out to everyone who continues to support the SNJO.

Below is a link to an extract from our 25th Anniversary concert from Perth Concert Hall. 

https://youtu.be/vxA_5-fgXB4

On behalf of the SNJO, I would like to send a message for peace and goodwill to all the nations around the world celebrating the gift of music and International Jazz Day.

Tommy Smith

SCOTTISH NATIONAL JAZZ ORCHESTRA

‘If I Were A Bell’ by Frank Loesser

arranged by Kieran McLeod

Saxophones: Martin Kershaw, Paul Towndrow, Tommy Smith, Konrad Wisniewski, Bill Fleming Trumpets: Jim Davison, Sean Gibbs, Tom MacNiven, Lorne Cowieson Trombones: Kieran McLeod, Liam Shortall, Anoushka Nanguy, Michael Owers Piano: Pete Johnstone Acoustic Bass: Calum Gourlay Drums: Alyn Cosker

Recorded Live on 5th December 2020 Perth Concert Hall

Stage Manager Ashley Holland Live

Sound Engineer Mark McKellen

Assistant Engineer Mark Renfrew

Live Lighting Technician Rebekah Pattison

Live Video Mixing: John Pike Video

Photography: Derek Clark & Perthshire Sound & Light

SNJO Manager Lindsay Robertson

SNJO Artist Director Tommy Smith

Supported by Creative Scotland

www.snjo.co.uk

 

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