Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. bf).

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, October 19, 2021

Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat seek your Newcastle recommendations ahead of tour.

(Press release)

Peter Whittingham Award winners Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat are setting sail this Autumn on their first national tour, performing music from their debut album Worry Not which was released to great acclaim in July of this year.

Supported by funding from Arts Councils England, the tour will see the cinematic jazz quintet return to cities including Newcastle and Wakefield, and branch out to London, Birmingham, Sheffield and more, to perform their blend of melodic, accessible jazz influenced by film scores, hard bop and contemporary European jazz.

Ahead of their performance at The Globe on the 28th November, Gravy Boat are asking local folk, audience members and other artists to share their favourite places in Newcastle. From the comfiest coffee shops and the best record stores to cultural landmarks and favourite food spots, the group are looking for recommendations of where they should visit whilst on tour, ideally accompanied by a story about what makes it special to you.

These places and stories will be woven amongst music from the band and live footage to create a digital tour guide to Newcastle, which will be shared in the New Year. To be a part of this project, you can either share your place on social media with the tag #mymusiccity or email voice notes, pictures or text to emma@johnsonmusic.co.uk This callout for places was launched on Instagram in a ‘Gravy Boat Guests’ episode with Newcastle musician Faye MacCalman (Archipelago, John Pope Quintet) and will run up until the group visit Newcastle to perform at the end of November.

Tickets here

Latest single video here

Emma Johnson: 07976 528099 

emma@johnsonmusic.co.uk/ www.johnsonmusic.co.uk/epk

Lineup: Emma Johnson – Tenor Saxophone/ Fergus Vickers – Electric Guitar/ Richard Jones – Piano /Angus Milne – Double Bass/ Steve Hanley – Drums

Recent press quote: "Emma Johnson and her Gravy Boat are one of the most refreshingly imaginative and perfectly configured acts in contemporary Jazz. Surely they will be occupying bigger platforms very soon". Neil March

2 comments :

Lance said...

Well Emma, I don't do coffee shops but I do know music shops. J.G. Windows Ltd. in the Central Arcade near Monument Metro has been around since 1908. Instruments, accessories, sheet music, CDs etc. I worked there for x years and just about anyone who was any one (or their roadies) looked in. Many local musicians have, over the years, worked there. Put it on your bucket list. See you at The Globe.

Emma Johnson said...

Hi Lance,
Thanks so much. Will be returning on a week day in the New Year to check this place out - sounds brilliant!
Really appreciate you sharing our call out and tuning into the gig on Sunday. Was lovely to play.
Hopefully catch you soon! Emma

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