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

Saturday, February 12, 2022

Alan Barnes with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ Opus 4 Jazz Club - Feb. 11

Alan Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums) + Harry Keeble (tenor sax)

A lunchtime concert over in Bishop Auckland drew a record crowd to the Town Hall. A few hours later Darlington's Opus 4 Jazz Club attracted its biggest audience in a while, there to hear Alan Barnes play his second gig of the day. Later in the evening the ever-popular Barnes, an alumnus of Leeds College of Music, would lock horns with a fellow Leeds graduate, albeit of more recent vintage. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder and Abbie Finn could be described as the region's 'go-to trio', they were with AB in Bishop Auckland and here they were, ready to do it all again. 

The Traveller's Rest recently renewed its commitment to live jazz and the best possible way to celebrate the news was to invite the celebrated British jazz musician Alan Barnes to make an umpteenth visit to the West Auckland Road hostelry. AB announced he and the trio would 'Start with a little warm up thing'...It Could Happen to You. Suitably warmed-up, Chilli Pepper went from Latin to swing and back again with little more than a directorial nod from Barnes - pianist Stockdale, bassist Shoulder and drummer Finn more than up to the job. Ellington's Tonight I Shall Sleep with a Smile on My Face featured Barnes' cast iron baritone sax playing. Blues on the Beach signalled the end of a marvellous first set. 

Raffle tickets (dud, as it transpired), another pint of the Ossett Brewery's Blonde, a natter and it was time to resume matters. And what a surprise opening to the second set, our Leeds graduate, Harry Keeble, unpacking his tenor ready to do battle with Barnes (alto sax) on Anthropology. Did HK's presence on the stand inspire Barnes to ever-greater heights? Possibly. One thing's for sure, the affable Keeble held his own. Similarly, Keeble counted in Moonlight in Vermont, again, unfazed by Barnes undoubted mastery. The Opus 4 crowd loved it, there'd be more later. 

A swaggering Barnes on Cheese Cake (perhaps JazzMain's Nick Gould will cut himself a slice of Dexter Gordon's tasty number tomorrow evening during the band's Newcastle Jazz Co-op gig), Barnes and trio waltzed through Alice in Wonderland, it had been an excellent evening. Barnes thanked the trio, impressed by Dean Stockdale, as he should be, 'the superlative bass playing' of Mick Shoulder, and, of course, the other Leeds alumnus on the gig, the ever-excellent Abbie Finn. To close, Harry Keeble joined Barnes once again to go out all guns blazing on Straight No Chaser. Great stuff!   Russell                  
       
Set list: It Could Happen to You; Chili Pepper; Tonight I Shall Sleep with a Smile on My Face; Close Your Eyes; ?; Blues on the Beach; Anthropology; Moonlight in Vermont; Cheese Cake; My One and Only Love; Alice in Wonderland; Straight No Chaser. 
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