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

Sat 06: Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 06: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Minor Swing. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 06: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 06: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76 (inc. bf).
Sat 06: Kaberry Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. (inc. hot buffet). ‘Christmas 1945’. Kaberry Big Band, formerly Vermont Big Band.
Sat 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ Platform 1, Bedlington. 7:30pm. £6.00. Rhythm & blues.
Sat 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. Xmas Party with buffet.
Sat 06: The Jive Aces @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £22.00., £20.00.
Sat 06: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

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

Tuesday, June 08, 2021

Birdland for .99 cents!

(Press release)

New York, NY - On July 1, 2021 Birdland, the jazz corner of the world and a New York institution, will open its doors to the public for the first time since March 2020. To mark the grand reopening, Birdland is bringing back 1949 prices as a thank you to returning patrons. Catch Birdland favorites Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble, Jim Caruso’s Cast Party, The Lineup with Susie Mosher, and David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band all month long for only .99 cents when booked in advance! 

Birdland’s July schedule includes performances by Emmet Cohen Trio, Matt Munisteri with Jon Erik-Kellso and the EarRegulars, Allan Harris Septet, Delfeayo Marsalis Quintet, Ken Peplowski Quartet, Joe Alterman Trio and Orrin Evans Quartet

All performances will take place upstairs in Birdland Jazz Club with the exception of the Allan Harris Septet, which will take place downstairs in the Birdland Theater. The venue will adhere to the reopening guidelines as set forth by the City of New York, New York State, and the Center for Disease Control (CDC). 

See below for the full schedule and visit www.birdlandjazz.com for more information. 

July 2021 Schedule: 
 

July 1 (Thursday) 7:00
July 2-3 (Friday - Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30
Emmet Cohen Trio

Pianist Emmet Cohen is one of the most dynamic young artists on the New York City jazz scene. With a "nimble touch, measured stride and warm harmonic vocabulary," (Downbeat) Emmet developed a global following with his popular "Live From Emmet's Place" pandemic livestreams. A Mack Avenue recording artist and Yamaha endorser Emmet Cohen has appeared at major international jazz festivals, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, and more, with jazz legends Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Jimmy Cobb, George Coleman, Jimmy Heath, Houston Person, Christian McBride, and Kurt Elling. His new album Future Stride was awarded four stars by The Guardian and is available everywhere now. Emmet Cohen (piano) Russell Hall (bass) Kyle Poole (drums)
$30

July 7 (Wednesday) 7:00

Matt Munisteri with Jon-Erik Kellso and The EarRegulars
Renowned brassman Jon-Erik Kellso and virtuosic guitarist Matt Munisteri formed the EarRegulars in 2007. Known for their popular residency at local jaunt The Ear Inn, these two master musicians perform swinging, melodic classic jazz with an ever-changing roster of players. Listeners will hear everything from New Orleans style through the Tin Pan Alley classics, the swing era, and mainstream jazz in this high-energy, uplifting show. Matt Munisteri (guitar, vocals) Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) Jay Rattman (sax, clarinet) Pat O’Leary (bass)
.99 cents advance; $10 at door

July 8-10 (Thursday - Saturday) 8:30 - Birdland Theater
Allan Harris Septet

Soulful crooner-guitarist Allan Harris will celebrate the release of his smashing new album Kate’s Soulfood! His most ambitious ensemble project to date, Kate’s Soulfood is a love letter to his beloved Harlem neighborhood and marks an exciting new page in Harris’ storied career. Described by The Miami Herald as possessing a voice with “the warmth of Tony Bennett, the bite and rhythmic sense of Sinatra, and the sly elegance of Nat ‘King' Cole,” Harris has garnered wide acclaim from critics and legions of fans from all over the world. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Harris has remained in the public eye due to his weekly live stream concert series “Harlem After Dark, Unplugged”. These virtual performances regularly attract thousands of fans and have become a staple in many music lovers’ homes. Allan Harris (vocals, guitar) Arcoiris Sandoval (piano) Marty Kenney (bass) Norman Edwards (drums) Bruce Harris (trumpet) Irwin Hall (sax) Jhair Sala (percussion) Gregoire Maret (harmonica)
$30

July 15 (Thursday) 7:00
July 16 (Friday) 7:00 & 9:30
Delfeayo Marsalis Quintet

A rare NYC appearance by trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis Quintet! Heralded in the press as "the most fun of the Marsalises... the family trombonist, record producer, and family wise guy too," since the age of 17, Delfeayo Marsalis has produced more than 120 recordings, garnering one GRAMMY® award and several nominations. He has toured internationally with jazz legends such as Ray Charles, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Elvin Jones and Slide Hampton, before leading his own quintet and big band around the world. Delfeayo Marsalis Quintet blends a funky New Orleans style with a contemporary jazz twist that keeps toes tapping and fingers snapping, from brass band to Bird to Mingus and more.
$30

July 17 (Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30
Ken Peplowski Quartet

Ken Peplowski’s body of work includes approximately 50 CDs as a soloist and nearly 400 as a sideman. Collaborations with music luminaries Charlie Byrd, Mel Torme, Rosemary Clooney, the Cincinnati Pops under Erich Kunzel, Hank Jones, Peggy Lee, Bill Charlap, Benny Goodman, Woody Allen and Madonna have secured his reputation as one of the world’s top clarinetists, as have his headliner spots at the Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall, the Blue Note, and Dizzy’s Club—and his induction into the Jazz Cruise Hall Of Fame in 2013. Growing seemingly ever stronger, Peplowski continues to dazzle audiences. This performance will feature pianist Ted Rosenthal, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Matt Wilson.
$30

July 22 (Thursday) 7:00
July 23-24  (Friday - Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30
Joe Alterman Trio

A Birdland favorite, pianist Joe Alterman leads his trio in celebration of his new release Live at Birdland. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Alterman studied music at New York University, where he received both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees. In addition to performances with Houston Person, Les McCann and his own trio, among others, Alterman has performed at many world renowned venues including the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Birdland and New York’s Blue Note, where Alterman has opened, many times, for Ramsey Lewis. Just over 30 years old, Alterman has released four critically-acclaimed albums to date. Dick Cavett has referred to Alterman as “one fine, first class entertainer” and Ramsey Lewis has called Alterman “an inspiration to me” and his piano playing “a joy to behold.”
$30

July 29 (Thursday) 7:00
July 30-31 (Friday - Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30
Orrin Evans Quartet

After three years with The Bad Plus, the 2x Grammy nominated pianist and composer Orrin Evans steps out on his own. His newest project is The Magic of Now, a new quartet album due out later this year with Smoke Sessions Records. Evans’ hard-hitting group features stalwart players Vincente Archer and Bill Stewart, plus fast-rising star saxophonist Immanual Wilkins. Wilkins’ debut album Omega (released last year on Blue Note) was called “the most important debut jazz recording in years” by JazzTimes. Orrin Evans (piano) Immanuel Wilkins (alto saxophone) Vincene Archer (bass) Bill Stewart (drums)
$30

Regular Engagements - All 1949 Special Pricing!

July 4,11,18,25 (Sundays) 7:00 PM
Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble

Pianist, composer and educator Arturo O'Farrill—leader of the "first family of Afro-Cuban Jazz" (NY Times)—leads an Octet version of the GRAMMY® award winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO), who bring together the drama of big band jazz, the culture of Latin music, and the virtuosity of eighteen of the world’s most accomplished solo musicians. Twelve years of critically-acclaimed performances internationally have firmly established the ALJO as the standard-bearer for creative interpretation of Latin jazz greats such as Tito Puente, Frank “Machito” Grillo, and Chico O’Farrill, as well as the driving force behind new commissions from Latin music’s most talented composers and arrangers.
.99 cents advance; $10 at door

July 5,12,19,26 (Mondays) 8:00
Jim Caruso’s Cast Party

Jim Caruso’s Cast Party is a wildly popular weekly soirée that brings a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to the legendary Birdland in New York City every Monday night. Since 1993, it's been a cool cabaret night-out enlivened by a hilariously impromptu variety show. Showbiz superstars, backed by Billy Stritch on piano, Steve Doyle on bass and Daniel Glass on drums, hit the stage alongside up-and-comers, serving up jaw-dropping music and general razzle-dazzle.
.99 cents advance; $10 at door

July 6,13,20,27 (Tuesdays) 7:00
The Lineup with Susie Mosher

The Lineup with Susie Mosher is a wild, anything-goes variety show featuring entertainers from the Broadway, cabaret and comedy scenes. Actress/singer Mosher hosts the spontaneous extravaganza at 9:30pm every Tuesday, and each Lineup is unique and promises to deliver an unforgettable night of quintessential NYC entertainment.
.99 cents advance; $10 at door

July 14,21,28 (Wednesdays) 7:00 - Birdland Jazz Club
David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band

Inspired by the noble jazz pioneers Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton and their colleagues, David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band breathes life and passion into America’s own great art form. Now in its 17th year of residency at Birdland, the weekly post-workday engagement is the city’s best musical bargain! Tuba player David Ostwald leads a rotating lineup of New York’s best “hot jazz” performers.
.99 cents advance;
$10 at door

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