Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

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: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Northern Edge Coffee, Silver St., Berwick. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Stedman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

NQ Jazz, in partnership with The Stoller Hall and The Yard, announce new live music dates for 2021, featuring Soweto Kinch, Norma Winstone, Mark Lockheart and more

(Press release)

Live jazz makes a triumphant return to Manchester with new concert series 

Featuring some of the biggest names in live jazz alongside rising stars 

Manchester venues The Stoller Hall and The Yard become new venue partners for NQ Jazz this year, with a range of COVID-safe lunchtime concerts, evening concerts and masterclasses 

The new programme will develop the jazz musicians of the future through partnership with Chetham's School of Music and RNCM Upcoming jazz musicians will showcase their music on a global stage with concerts and online streams

Manchester’s growing reputation for live jazz is set to be catapulted in 2021, with a line-up of established and emerging musicians and two new venue partners. 

Manchester-based live music promoters NQ Jazz have established a brand-new partnership with two unique venues in Manchester; 500-seat music-venue, The Stoller Hall and new arts space, The Yard

Their latest venture will bring some of the UK’s finest jazz musicians to Manchester for a series of socially distanced lunchtime concerts and masterclasses, evening concerts and live broadcasts. Through a hybrid programme of live performances, high-quality online broadcasts and performance archive, the programme will reach a global audience. 

Amongst the artists involved are multiple MOBO award-winning saxophonist and composer Soweto Kinch, seminal vocalist Norma Winstone alongside long-term collaborators Stan Sulzmann and Nikki Iles, plus Jazz FM Instrumentalist of the Year 2016, Mark Lockheart, the renowned saxophonist and bandleader who rose to prominence with the influential big band Loose Tubes. 

In addition to established artists, the partnership will champion rising stars and develop young talent, working with Manchester’s prestigious music school, Chetham’s, on a range of public Masterclasses, as well as providing opportunities for Manchester’s student community to learn from leading jazz artists by working with the RNCM and the University of Manchester. 

BBC Young Jazz Musician competitor and recent Edition Records signing Fergus McCreadie returns in July, performing with his trio in support of their outstanding new album, Cairn. Virtuosic jazz guitarist Rob Luft, a Jazz FM ‘Breakthrough Act’ and Parliamentary Jazz ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ award recipient in 2018, brings his quintet to the night in September, whilst the superb vocalist and Elftet member Ella Hohnen-Ford brings her own TreeClimbers project to Manchester in July. 

NQ Jazz is also pleased to continue its series of live improvised soundtracks to silent film, this time focussed around a ‘seminal sci-fi’ theme, curated by guitarist and music for film expert José Dias. The five film nights will include live scores to classics such as Nosferatu, The Lost World and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, from musicians across the improvised music spectrum. 

The COVID-safe events will be held in compliance with Government guidance, with audiences given the option of rescheduled dates and online broadcasts if restrictions prevent concerts from going ahead as planned. NQ Jazz and its partners have been issued with Visit England 'We're Good to Go' Industry Standard certificates.

Emily Burkhardt, Artistic Director at NQ Jazz: 

“We’re delighted to be working alongside a diverse and wonderful spread of partners for our upcoming season, to bring more of the music we love to Manchester via our two brilliant new partner venues. We’re exceptionally proud to present this programme, featuring many of the UK’s most celebrated and exciting musicians. 

“With The Stoller Hall being an internationally recognised state of the art concert hall and The Yard being a beautiful & intimate new arts space, bursting with creative vibrancy, we hope that there will be something for everyone in our programme!” 

Fran Healey, General Manager of The Stoller Hall: 

“Creating exceptional live music experiences for our audiences is what we’ve been doing ever since we opened our doors and we’re so excited for that to continue with a year-round programme of live jazz. 

“This is a first for The Stoller Hall and for Manchester, where we can champion new music talent through our work with Chetham’s and showcase established musicians on our global stage.” 

Jo Hamburger, General Manager of The Yard: 

“Our values have always been built on showcasing the finest creative talent from and visiting the North West. With this in mind, we are beyond delighted about our new partnership with NQ Jazz, which will bring first class Jazz to the North side of Manchester on Monday nights from June 2021. We look forward to watching the community flourish and grow.” 


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