Preview: Newcastle Jazz Festival (Saturday 14)

Day two of this year's Newcastle Jazz Festival features a jazz vocalist, a blues shouter, guitarists contemporary and Manouche, and a charismatic Yorkshireman blowing up a storm in a trombone-organ-drums trio. Tyne Bank Brewery on Walker Road to the east of the city centre is a big barn of a place, the ideal place to practice your social distancing skills.*  

Alice Grace opens the day's programme at 1:30pm in the company of guitarist Pawel 'Pav' Jedrzejewski playing original material with perhaps a couple of GASbook numbers for good measure. Birmingham Conservatoire graduate guitarist Francis Tulip brings in his  quartet to play a post-bop session. County Durham based Francis will be working with pianist Tuoyo Awala (friends from their student days), Archipelago's bass man John Pope and drummer John Bradford. At 3:50pm (that's about three beers in) Mick Shoulder will tip his hat to Django et al with Swing Manouche - Mick (pictured) and Giles Strong (guitars), Paul Grainger on string bass duties, and the revitalised Gavin Lee on reeds (Gavin was in scintillating form last weekend with Rendezvous Jazz).

JASMINE Quintet is Jasmine Whalley's Leeds based outfit playing a set of original material. This Jazz North Northern Line gig features saxophonist Whalley alongside Ben Haskins, guitar, George MacDonald, keyboards, bassist Owen Burns and drummer George Hall. 

The penultimate session, but in effect the day's headline act, is Dennis Rollins' supercharged Velocity Trio featuring the amazing Ross Stanley at the organ, and the equally amazing drummer, Pedro Segundo. Dennis, from Doncaster, is an inspirational character and, if dancing is permitted, the audience will be up on its feet. Closing out the second day will be Tyneside's Empress of the Blues, Mo Scott. No one belts out the blues like Mo. Pint sized but with a killer punch, Mo always brings in a killer of a band.

* Here's the thing...Saturday is SOLD OUT! In the event of returns, keep on checking the festival website at: www.newcastlejazzfestival.co.uk. All is not lost, some tickets are available for Sunday, the third and final day of the festival. Book now or risk missing out! Russell