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

Thu 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 18: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: 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 19: Joe Steels Group @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 19: Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £14.33., £11.16., £8.00.
Fri 19: Martin Litton @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 (inc. bf); £6.50 (inc. bf); £15.00 on the door. Solo piano. CANCELLED!
Fri 19: Jools Holland’s R&B Orchestra @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Joe Webb support set.
Fri 19: Hot Club du Nord @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 19: Jive Aces: The Roots of Rock & Roll @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00 + bf.

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.

Friday, December 03, 2021

Press release: The Jazz Promotion Network appoints Eleanor Ward as Network Development Director

Six new trustees join the JPN board

The Jazz Promotion Network (JPN), the only UK and Ireland-wide network of jazz industry professionals has appointed Eleanor Ward in a senior strategic position as the organisation embarks on an exciting period of change. 

Joining the charity as Network Development Director, she will lead on a sectoral consultation project, develop new activity plans and oversee major funding bids to help shape the future direction of JPN. 

Eleanor is the former Executive Director of the charity Nonclassical, a small but influential contemporary classical music promoter and record label based in East London.

She has also worked in arts funding for Arts Council England and PRS Foundation, as Programme Manager for music education charity Sound Connections and as Festival Producer for Field Day and Spitalfields Music Festival. She is co-founder and Project Director of Street Orchestra Live and works a freelance music consultant and creative producer for a range of artists and music organisations.

In addition, Eleanor is a trustee for Good Vibrations, a charity that supports prisoners and ex-prisoners, patients in secure hospitals and other vulnerable members of the community through communal music-making projects. 

Outgoing JPN Chair Steve Mead said: “We’re delighted that Eleanor has joined the JPN team as Network Development Director to help lead cross-sector consultations and develop a fundraising strategy that will inform our activities for the next business plan period. 

“El’s vast experience in leading similar networks, working for funding bodies and consulting for a wide range of music organisations of varying scales will be invaluable for JPN – as will her vibrant enthusiasm and passion for jazz. Welcome to JPN!”     

Network Development Director Eleanor Ward added:I’m really excited to be joining JPN as Network Development Director at this exciting time of reopening and revival for the sector. The role brings together my love of jazz and what is at the heart of my work - supporting and developing artists and organisations. 

“I look forward to working strategically with the Board, the wider membership of JPN and everyone involved in the promotion of jazz across the UK and Ireland.”

Eleanor’s appointment also comes with several new additions to the JPN board. 

Elected at the 2021 JPN AGM in November, seven new trustees have joined award-winning musician, composer and educator Orphy Robinson, Roger Wilson (Black Lives In Music), Penny King (Royal Welsh College of Music and Dance) and Barney Stevenson (Marsden Jazz Festival). 

The latest additions to the JPN team are JPN co-founder Nod Knowles, former Head of Programming at Edinburgh International Jazz Festival Agnese Daverio, The Jazz Centre UK’s Mark Kass, Programme Manager at Jazz North Heather Spencer, radio host Peter Slavid and musician, promoter and educator Keith Michael

The current Vice-Chair of the JPN Board and former Performance Programme Director for Sage Gateshead, Ros Rigby has also been re-elected as a trustee. 

For more information about JPN’s new trustees, please visit here

No comments :

Blog Archive