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

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.

Fri 22: Paul Skerritt @ Market Place, Durham. From 12 noon. Free. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Fri 22: Paul Edis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00. Edis, Andy Champion, Steve Hanley.
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 22: Paul Edis Trio @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £TBC. Edis, Andy Champion, Steve Hanley.

Thursday, March 17, 2022

A 3rd Year Finalist Showcase @ Newcastle University - Mar 16

Newcastle University's recently renovated boiler house has assumed a new lease of life as the Boiler House performance space. Located but a stone's throw from the Students' Union, the well-appointed venue welcomed students and non-students alike to listen to third year (and some second year) students in a showcase event. BSH noted the programme would include a performance by Jason Holcomb's recently formed (pre-pandemic) Newcastle University Jazz Ensemble...

Arriving in good time for a six o'clock start, several familiar faces were dotted around the building, all of them regular participants down the road at the Black Swan jam session. A new name - Charis Bailey - opened the show. Trombonist Charis led a five-piece band playing a couple of classic numbers - Bags' Groove and Autumn Leaves. Ms Bailey is yet to show up at a Black Swan jam session. Tuesday next week (March 22) will be the next opportunity, a case of now's the time...    
Eliza Gutteridge sang and played guitar in a stand-up, no-holds-barred, committed performance. The highlight of her short set was an original composition titled Night Terrors. Ms Gutteridge is a veteran of tv talent shows and on the evidence of this short set, the Newcastle University student's future in the music business seems assured.

The big band jazz set conducted by trombonist (and Newcastle University lecturer) Jason Holcomb was a rare outing for the Newcastle University Jazz Ensemble. No sooner had MD Holcomb put the band together, the pandemic put a stop to things. It is to be hoped this evening's performance will be the first of many more to come. The orchestra, comprising two reeds alongside other sections boasting a full compliment, is, given a fair wind, bound to develop at pace. Sitting in the ensemble's ranks, the familiar figure of guitarist Jacob Egglestone, however, on this occasion he was in the trumpet section! And, to add some experience to the ensemble, Newcastle alumnus and Bold Big Band trombonist, Alex Utting. The repertoire? Think A Train, that's where the band is coming from, or possibly going to!  The Newcastle University Jazz Ensemble is a work in progress.           

Clearly Confused (great name!) closed the show with a series of Brit Pop/indie covers (Pavement, Pulp, Radiohead) and an original number. Spied in the band were jam sessioners Ben Davies and Jacob Egglestone (guitars). All in all it had been a worthwhile outing. Russell    

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