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

18621 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 485 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 14) 37

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

Sat 20: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer Festival, Corbridge. 5:00-6:00pm.
Sat 20: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 20: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Trinity Church, Gosforth, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. NCRO w. guests Dean Stockdale & Nick Ward.

Sun 21: From Lagos to Longbenton: Unity in the Community @ Sunderland Minster. From 1:30pm. Free. A multi-bill Unity in the Community event, inc. From Lagos to Longbenton.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio w. Graham Hardy.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 22: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 23: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 25: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 25: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Forgotten Ones & Any Quintets.
Thu 25: Edgar Ho Trio @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Brilliant alto sax, piano & double bass trio. Unmissable!
Thu 25: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 26: Finn-Keeble Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9:00.
Fri 26: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 26: Clark Tracey @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Newcastle Jazz Festival. £26.00. Day 1/2.

Saturday, August 14, 2021

Preview: Newcastle Jazz Festival (Sunday 15)

(Photo by Lance)
First things first...only a handful of tickets are available for the final day of this year's festival. Those who hesitate and all that...book now! Tickets booked, what will you get for your tenner? A drummer led trio with an album to promote, an organ led quartet with nothing to prove, a Northern Line supported outfit, a Gerry Mulligan set and a celebrated Canadian trumpeter working with some of the best in the business. 

Abbie Finn (Leeds College of Music, Trinity Laban) is picking up gigs right, left and centre. This afternoon, drummer Abbie kicks off this Sunday session (1:30 prompt) with her trio playing numbers from Northern Perspective. Abbie, drums, Harry Keeble, tenor sax, and bassist Paul Grainger will set the standard for others to follow. 

And following Abbie, one of the great bands, period. Gerry Richardson is the boss of the Hammond. Gerry's quartet is scheduled to take to the stage at 2:40. Leave that second Yorkshire pudding, don't get held up in traffic, be there on time. Gerry, Garry Linsley (soulful alto sax) and co are the business! 

Not Now Charlie is/are of a generation. Jamie Toms' outfit is the beneficiary of the Northern Line scheme, although the band's gigs have been few and far between of late. Expect original material from Jamie (tenor sax) working alongside Pav Jedrzejewski (guitar), Liam Gaughan (bass guitar) and co. At five o'clock it's Mulligan Time!. Sue Ferris (see photo) blowing baritone sax is one of the great gig-going experiences. On this gig Sue will be tipping her hat to the great Gerry Mulligan. No two ways about it, Sue's quartet will blow up a storm! 
      
And to close three days of non-stop jazz, a musician who came to prominence as a member of Empirical, since when he's gone on to work with a who's who of the music business. Due on stage at 6:15, trumpeter Jay Phelps is the star name at Tyne Bank Brewery. The festival directors have secured the services of three A-listers to work with Phelps - Dean Stockdale, piano, Andy Champion, bass and drummer Dave McKeague. It promises to be some finale! Russell   

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