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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

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

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

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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