Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18069 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 390 of them this year alone and, so far, 68 this month (May 222).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:15pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall, Stocksfield. 1:30pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm.
Sat 24: Dean Stockdale Quartet + Mingus Sings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums) + Mingus Sings: Sara Oschlag (vocals); Alan Barnes (reeds); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Arnie Somogyi (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sat 24: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 24: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sat 24: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 24: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 25: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Spanish City Plaza (outdoor stage). 11:30am & 1:00pm. Free. A Whitley Bay Carnival event.
Sun 25: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: Bandstand Sessions @ The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free. A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 1:30pm. Free.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Bourne (harp), Francis Tulip (guitar), James Owston (double bass), Joe Bainbridge (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Struggle Buggy @ The Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 25: Joe Steels Group + Norma Winstone (vocals); Nikki Iles (piano); Mike Walker (guitar); Steve Watts (double bass). 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Steels (guitar); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Susans (double bass); John Hirst (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 25: Xhosa Cole/Neil Charles/Mark Sanders @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A JNE promotion. Note: Xhosa Cole replaces Nicole Mitchell.

Mon 26: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 26: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 27: Bold Big Band @ Newcastle Arts Centre, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.00. & £10.00.
Tue 27: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Front St., Rothbury NE65 7UT.7:30pm. £12.00.; £10.00. adv. from Tully’s (opp. venue).

Wed 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 28: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 28: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 29: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: That’s the Blues, Dad.
Thu 29: Nova.sol + Mikoudi @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 29: Front Porch Three @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, blues etc.

p>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: Rivkala @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Middleton & Tonbridge Village Hall. 7:30pm.

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

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2021

 


(
Press release)

Thursday 30th September - Sunday 3rd October
(Exhibition Preview and Warm Up: Saturday 25th September)

A multicultural mélange celebrating the rich tapestry of improvised music from the UK Jazz scene. 

In 1995 the original Newcastle Jazz Festival closed it’s doors, leaving a void in the city, until Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music was launched for the first edition in 2017.

Whilst also celebrating the 100th anniversary year of the first ever jazz recordings, Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music responded to the cities need for a grass roots contemporary jazz festival, and the development of strong cohesive creative partnerships between key regional promoters including Jazz North East, Jazz Coop at The Globe, The Literary and Philosophical Society, Newcastle Arts Centre, Gosforth Civic Theatre and GemArts.

After temporary hiatus in 2020 (in which the festival launched the New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings project) we’re back and once again presenting a stellar line-up of events.

With the uncertainties of Covid and Brexit still looming, to give us the best chance of going ahead this edition will focus on UK based artists. Tickets are initially selling at socially distanced capacities, with further to be released early September should science guide us. 

Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music gratefully acknowledges Arts Council England, associated partners and funders for their support.

Alina Bzhezhinska HipHarp Quartet
Zoe Rahman
Warmer Than Blood
Ruth Goller
Fergus McCreadie Trio
Robert Mitchell
Run Logan Run
Pat Thomas
John Pope Quintet
Shiver
Huw V Williams Trio
Paul Edis
Zoë Gilby with Andy Champion
Ceitidh Mac
Spinningwork
Jo Ganter and Raymond MacDonald
Green Tangerines
Abbie Finn Trio
Mainly Two 
John Pope / John Garner / Huw V Williams
DJ DaGu
TICKETS

Limited Tickets On Sale Now.

Tickets are initially selling at socially distanced capacities, with further to be released early September should science guide us.

Click on the venue name to be linked to online tickets.


FULL FESTIVAL SCHEDULE WITH TIMINGS 

SATURDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER
Newcastle Arts Centre (Gallery Space)
6.00pm - 8.00pm: Silent Music Seeing Sound (Jo Ganter / Raymond MacDonald / George Burt / Andy Champion)

Newcastle Arts Centre (Black Swan Main Venue)
8.30pm - 10.00pm: Spinningwork (Cath Roberts / Tom Ward / Olie Brice / Johnny Hunter)

THURSDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER
Gosforth Civic Theatre
8.00pm - 8.40pm: Run Logan Run (Andrew Hayes / Matt Brown / Annie Gardiner)
9.00pm - 10.00pm: Shiver (Chris Sharkey / Andy Champion / Joost Hendrickx)

FRIDAY 1ST OCTOBER
The Literary and Philosophical Society
1.00pm - 2.00pm: Robert Mitchell (Solo Piano)
7.30pm - 8.10pm: Ceitidh Mac (Ceitidh Mac / Will Hammond / Calum Howard)
8.30pm - 8.50pm: Ruth Goller (Solo)
9.00pm - 10.00pm: Warmer Than Blood (Chris Montague / Kit Downes / Ruth Goller)

SATURDAY 2ND OCTOBER
The Literary and Philosophical Society
1.00pm - 1.40pm: Paul Edis (Solo Piano)

Newcastle Arts Centre (Black Swan Bar and Venue Space)
2.00pm - 3.00pm: Zoë Gilby and Andy Champion Duo
3.30pm - 5.00pm: John Pope Quintet (John Pope / Faye MacCalman / Jamie Stockbridge / Graham Hardy / Johnny Hunter) 

The Literary and Philosophical Society
7.00pm - 7.40pm: Pat Thomas in Conversation with Andy Hamilton (Pre-Concert Talk)
8.00pm - 8.40pm: Pat Thomas plays the music of Duke Ellington (Solo Piano)
9.00pm - 10.00pm: Alina Bzhezhinska HipHarp Quartet (Alina Bzhezhinska  / Mikele Montolli / Joel Prime / Adam Teixeira)

The Globe
8.00pm - 10.00pm: Green Tangerines (Sarah Sands / Sam Taylor / Jack O’Hanlon / Fran Mills / Tom Hudson)
10.00pm - 3.00am: ‘On The Corner’ - Club Night with DJ DaGu

SUNDAY 3RD OCTOBER
The Literary and Philosophical Society
1.00pm - 2.00pm: Zoe Rahman (Solo Piano)

Newcastle Arts Centre (Black Swan Main Venue Space)
2.00pm - 2.40pm: Abbie Finn Trio (Abbie Finn / Harry Keeble / Paul Grainger)
3.00pm - 5.00pm: Jam Session with the Abbie Finn House Band

The Globe
3.00pm - 4.00pm: Mainly Two (Marie Schreer and John Garner)
4.30pm - 5.30pm: John Pope in Conversation with Huw V Williams (Improvised Music Agenda Podcast)
5.30pm - 6.00pm: John Pope / John Garner / Huw V Williams - Spontaneous Improvisation Trio

The Literary and Philosophical Society
7.00pm - 8.00pm: Fergus McCreadie Trio (Fergus McCreadie / David Bowden / Stephen Henderson)

The Globe
9.00pm - 10.00pm: Huw V Williams Trio (Huw V Williams / George Crowley / Devin Gray)


No comments :

Blog Archive