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

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Scarborough Jazz Festival: The Grand Hall, Scarborough Spa

(Press release)

The 18th Scarborough Jazz Festival will now take place across the weekend of 24-26 September 2021 at Scarborough Spa.

Original Tickets from September 2020 & February 2021 remain valid for the September 2021 Festival.

Alongside some of our favourite festival performers we have many new faces: the ground breaking pianist Fergus McCreadie; violinist John Pearce and gypsy jazz from Djanco.

Three of our performers have recently received Parliamentary Awards: Nikki Iles with the Jazz Education Award; Fergus McCreadie for “Turas” the Jazz Album of the Year: and a Scarborough Jazz Club favourite Zoe Gilby as Jazz Vocalist of the Year.

We are also excited to have jazz giant Julian Joseph with his trio & Tony Kofi returns to front his loving celebration of the jazz giant (in every sense) Julian ‘Cannnonball’ Adderley. 

And here’s what national critic Ron Simpson has to say about the Spa: ’The excellence of the venue – and the enterprising use that Mike Gordon and his team make of it – has much to do with the success of the Scarborough Festival. The Spa is an elegant Victorian pile, with the North Sea breaking on the other side of the road and a fine concert hall surrounded by bars and restaurants.’

Due to the date change our Earlybird Weekend Ticket offer has been extended and are back on sale!

Our Line Up!

Friday Afternoon Session:

Rafe’s Dilemma

Celebrating literature, music and theatre. This young quartet brings together an eclectic mix of jazz, electronic music and rock to create an excitingly fresh and intriguing sound. Visit Artist Website

Dave O’Higgins & Rob Luft Quartet

Young 'firebrand' Rob Luft teams up with an established giant of the UK Jazz scene as their Quartet perform Thelonious Monk compositions and tunes played by John Coltrane. Visit Artist Website

The Oxley-Meier Guitar Project

The exceptional musicianship of all members is unquestionable. The music is sensational, played with great energy and the incredible rapport between the three members is something that definitely sets this band apart. Visit Artist Website

Friday Evening Session:

VEIN featuring Stan Sulzmann

Combining the complexity of European classical chamber music with the thrills and energy of jazz improvisation at its most sophisticated. Visit Artist Website

Julian Joseph Trio

Virtuoso pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger, broadcaster and educator, Julian Joseph is the undisputed heir to the global house of jazz and he performs at The Scarborough Jazz Festival for the very first time this September. 

Hans Koller - Bird Migration Big Band-A Celebration of the Centenary of Charlie Parker
A 13-piece ensemble exploring and celebrating musical ideas and imagined movements of Charlie 'Bird' Parker. Visit Artist Website

Saturday Afternoon Session:

Djanco featuring Andy Aitchison

The spirit of gypsy swing with the flair of flamenco to create a distinctive jazz flavour.

Karen Sharp Quartet

World class musicians who also happen to be great friends. Together they create a unique sound that is warm, spontaneous and exciting! Visit Artist Website

Ian Shaw, Iain Ballamy, Jamie Safir - What's New

3 leading solo artists collaborating to share the best of popular songwriting as they launch their new album.-What’s New (Released on 7 February) Visit Artist Website

Saturday Evening Session

Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestra

'A pianist of extraordinary imagination who thrives on fugitive melodies” Dave Gelly. Visit Artist Website

Zoe Gilby – Aurora

Winner of Parliamentary Jazz Awards Jazz Vocalist of The Year 2019.  Visit Artist Website

Jean Toussaint Allstar 6tet

A genial presence on the UK jazz scene for 30 years, Jean presents his all-star 6tet which has been put together to mark what would have been Art Blakey’s 100th birthday. Visit Artist Website

Sunday Afternoon Session:

The Fergus McCreadie Trio

Winner of Jazz Album of the Year at The Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2019. Visit Artist Website

Tony Kofi's 'A Portrait of a Cannonball'

‘Quite splendid … the kind of ensemble groove that seems like hard-bop heaven.’ Jazz Wise Magazine Visit Artist Website

John Pearce & Dave Newton

A Scarborough Jazz Festival regular joins 'A violinist of immense virtuosity’ (London Jazz News) to perform his ‘fine record’ (Jazz Rag) Just Friends. Visit Artist Website

Sunday Evening Session:

Phil Robson's Organ Trio

An award-winning, incredibly versatile and creative guitar player as well as celebrated composer, joins forces with the Hammond virtuoso Ross Stanley and the inspiring and powerful drummer Gene Calderazzo to bring this all-star band to the Scarborough Jazz Festival. Visit Artist Website

Alan Barnes Octet plays Jazz Portraits

Alan returns alongside his long established octet, as usual, the music is swinging and accessible as well as serious and is always presented with humour, peppered with anecdotes. Visit Artist Website.

Compere: Alan Barnes

Tickets:

Offer Extended! Earlybird Weekend Tickets (available until 31 July 2021): £105 (plus facility fee)

Day Tickets & Session Tickets are now on sale!

Weekend Ticket

Day Tickets

Session Tickets

No comments :

Blog Archive