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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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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