Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (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

18504 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 368 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 7 ) 22

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

May

Fri 15: Conor Emery Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Line-up Emery (trombone); Alix Shepherd (piano); John Pope (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 adv., £15.00 on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Puppini Sisters @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!

Sat 16: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. God Bless the Child - Lady Day!. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 16: Kaberry Big Band @ the Seahorse Pub, Hillheads Rd., Whitley Bay NE23 8HR. From 7:30pm. £15.00
Sat 16: Lady Nade @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. ‘Lady Nade sings Nina Simone’.

Sun 17: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Forum Theatre, Billingham. 7:30pm.
Sun 17: QOW Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Spike Wells, Riley Stone-Lonergan & Eddie Myer.

Mon 18: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 18: Mark Williams Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 19: GoGo Penguin + Daudi Matsiko @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £22.00 + £4.40 bf.
Tue 19: Danny Lowndes’ Hot Club @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £5.00 bf.
Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Mark Robertson (drums).

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Jordan Jackson @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.80 (inc. bf); £15.40 (inc. bf).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Jazz Classics with Rivkala @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Rivkala (vocals); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 21: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Saturday, October 02, 2021

Knats + Hand to Mouth @ GCT - Oct 1

Ferg Kilsby (trumpet); Josh Mitchell-Rayner (keyboards); Stan Woodward (bass); King David Ike-Elechi (drums)

Festival gigs across town, gigs here, there and everywhere, including a non-festival, somewhat under-the-radar free admission double bill at Gosforth Civic Theatre. Situated just off Gosforth High Street in Newcastle, GCT presents an array of cultural events and on this Friday evening a large crowd gathered to hear two contrasting sets. 

Knats' recent emergence, seemingly out of nowhere, is one of the good news stories in these pandemic times. Four teeenagers - trumpet, keyboards, bass and drums - playing an approximation of seventies' jazz rock charts (much of it original material) alongside numbers by the likes of Roy Ayers and Kendrick Lamar, demonstrated a remarkably high level of ability. Song titles were largely absent from front man Stan Woodward's introductions, no matter, it's the music that mattered. 

Shrouded in clouds of dry ice, Ferg Kilsby, all of sixteen, blew loud, reverb-heavy trumpet. The fourteen/fifteen year old Ferg cut a shy, timid figure when first sitting in at jam sessions with the big boys and girls. Here at GCT the sixteen year old veteran played without fear. Tremendous! On the opposite side of the stage, pianist Josh Mitchell-Rayner supplied all the chords and more, frequent eye contact with his band mates confirming they were as one. The rhythm boys - bassist Stan Woodward and drummer King David Ike-Elechi - hit on a groove and didn't let up all night. 

Hand to Mouth: Lindsay Hannon (vocals); Bradley Johnston (guitar)

Earlier, Hand to Mouth gave another concert masterclass in the art of intimate, duo performance. Vocalist Lindsay Hannon and guitarist Bradley Johnston revisited their Ella Fitzgerald-Joe Pass set. From first note to last, it would prove to be an absolute joy to listen to. The Very Thought of You - wow! Ella and Joe live! Dindi, Ellington's All Too Soon (lyrics Carl Sigman), a wonderful verse intro to Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, Hand to Mouth were on top form. 

Some other Time sang Lindsay, I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues asserted Lindsay. Yes, indeed! Hand to Mouth should tour, they should play festivals. And wouldn't it be great if they recorded an album?!  Russell

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