Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Jammin' @ the Black Swan - May 17

A fortnight ago, I bemoaned the absence of the horn players (Where have all the blowers gone?). This time it was Where have all the guitars gone? and, apart from Esther who was impressive on clarinet and David Gray who blew the room apart with his cutting edge solos and a croony vocal on Just Friends this was indeed predominantly a singers session - almost a jazz Go As You Please at the Wheeltappers and Shunters!

Don't get me wrong, all of the singers are rated highly across the region and can pull paying gigs. However, the beauty of a jam session lies in the mix of instrumentalist and vocalist which, tonight, was very much biassed towards the latter. So I look forward to seeing the balance redressed at future jams. Lance

Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Abbie Finn (drums) + Edgar Bell (cornet); David Gray (trombone/vocals); Esther Coombes (clarinet); Haaruun Miller (alto/tenor sax); Jack Anderson (bass/bass guitar); Murray Wankling (piano); Chris Finney, Tom Parry-Jones, Will Pease, Mark ?, Michael Mather (drums); Jan Spencelayh, Kit Giroux, Niffi Osiyemi, Ian Dreever, Patrick Cromb, Chen ?, Will Reece (vocals).

9 comments :

Haaruun Miller said...

One of the drummers was called Mark Taylor. Not sure about the rest of them though.

Brian shine said...


Your right a about a jazz go as you please at the Wheeltapers and shunters, before long we will have the bingo on

BRIAN SHINE

Ann Alex said...

Sorry Lance but I have to say that you sound very dismissive of all these talented singers. Why don't you tell us what they sang and how they compared with each other? Patrick Cromb alone deserved a mention as a fairly new kid on the block. I've heard him and he's very good. Come to think of it, you haven't mentioned much about the instrumentalists either!
Ann Alex

Russell said...

Ann, perhaps it's jam session fatigue (on Lance's part). Where have all the horn players gone? If you want to hear what's been happening recently, why not come along, drink some beer (lots of it!) and find out for yourself.

Paul Grainger said...

Thanks for that Haaruun, in the melee I don't always manage to get everybody's names or give them full credit. Also thanks for coming along and playing. It was good to meet you and hear you play. I hope you can join us on the 31st for the next session: https://fb.me/e/4th5mh3Eu

Lance said...

Well Ann, seeing as you asked, here are some of the songs:
Jan:Autumn Leaves, Cheek to Cheek.
Kit: Don't Get Around Much Anymore, But Not For me.
Niffi: Sweet Georgia Brown, I Wish I Knew How it Felt to be Free.
Chen: Fly me to the Moon.
Ian: Come Fly with me, The Shadow of your Smile.
Patrick:Someone to Watch Over me, It Had to be You.
Will Reece: Bewitched.

The trio opened up with My Silent Love and Who Can I Turn To?
Other instrumentals included All Blues and Misty featuring Edgar and Haaruun. Impressions with David Gray, Murray and Jack on bass guitar.

The finale was Work Song with Michael Mather on triangle.

Ian said...

Nice meeting you on the Metro, Lance.
I'll have to get along for a look in sometime ;-)

Ann Alex said...

Lance, Thanks for all the extra information. The triangle on Work Song sounds like fun!
Russell, I really wish I could get along to these jam sessions but I have mobility problems just now, hopefully this will be dealt with by physiotherapy soon.

Lance said...

Ian, next one is on May 31. 7:30 start. Check it out.

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