Bebop Spoken There

Ethan Hawke (starring as Lorenz Hart in Blue Moon): ''Larry [Lorenz] Hart would be so happy that his music and his words and his poetry are still alive.'' - The Northern Echo 27 November 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

18000 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 964 of them this year alone and, so far, 73 this month (Nov. 24).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sun 07: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. special guest Donna Hewitt (sax, clarinet).
Sun 07: Finn-Keeble Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 07: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 07: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 07: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio + Ruth Lambert.
Sun 07: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 07: Jason Isaacs Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 5:15pm (4:00pm doors). £21.50 (inc. bf).
Sun 07: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 07: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Support set from Play More Jazz! course participants. Note earlier start.

Mon 08: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 09: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm

Wed 10: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 10: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Mike Lindup Jazz Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £26.50 (inc. bf). Lindup, Yolanda Charles (bass), John Sam (drums).
Wed 10: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £12.00.

Thu 11: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: West Coast (cool ) / Wordsearch (cool) Cool Jazz or ‘Cold’, ‘Cool’, ‘Hot’, ‘Warm’ in the title or lyrics.
Thu 11: George Robinson @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £5.42 (inc. bf). Vienna’s Voice charity evening featuring ’15 year old singing sensation the ‘Redcar Crooner’ George Robinson’. Over 35s only.
Thu 11: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. back tapes.
Thu 11: Ransom Van @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 11: Down for the Count Swing Orchestra @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:30pm. £37.70 (inc. bf). ‘Swing into Xmas’.

Fri 12: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 12: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ Northumberland Club, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £15.00. ‘Xmas Soiree’.
Fri 12: A Jazzy Xmas @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax, soprano sax); Matthew Forster (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 12: Tony Hadley: Xmas Big Band Tour 2025 @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Fri 12: Alexia Gardner @ The New Ship Inn, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. 8:00pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy, Abbie Finn.
Fri 12: Jive Aces: Swingin’ Xmas Show @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm.

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)


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