Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

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.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 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

Wednesday, May 04, 2022

Where have all the blowers gone? Black Swan Jam Session - May 3

Laurence Harrison (guitar); Paul Grainger (bass); King David Ike-Elechi (drums); Jeremy McMurray (keys) + Esther Coombes (alto sax); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Charles Harrison, Joe Steels, Jimi Savage (guitar); Abbie Finn, Tom ?, Wilf Pease (drums); Niffi Osiyemi, Finnuala Bradbury, Temi ?, Susan? ?; Patrick Cromb, Ian ?, Will Reece, A.N. Other x 2 (vocals).

Midway through the opening Days of Wine and Roses the house trio, with the arrival of Jeremy McMurray, became a quartet.

The pianist and bassist Grainger remained on board for the rest of the evening as a procession of singers, drummers and guitarists trotted back and forth with the only horn players being Harry and Esther.

My apologies to those in the listings whose names I didn't get. There were too many to chase up and I didn't want to create the impression of an insurance agent touting for business.

Talking of impressions, Harry made an impression on the Coltrane number of the same name (Impressions), Another impressive performance came from the girl who may have been named Sue (Susan, Suzanne?) who sang In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning and Born to be Blue - a star in the making!

So much more but time and space etc.... The only downside was the lack of horns for the final blast. Tenors saxes jousting, trumpets shooting for the moon, trombones growling - the whole nine yards - maybe next time. Lance 

PS: If any one out there can add the missing names please do.

Days of Wine and Roses; Wee Cee; On Green Dolphin Street; Have You Met Miss Jones?; Impressions; Dream a Little Dream of meI'm Beginning to See the Light; Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You?; Invitation; I'll Remember April; Fine and Mellow; Bye, Bye, Blackbird; Maybe This Time; In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning; Born to be Blue; A Natural Woman; Georgia on my Mind; Blue Skies.

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