Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18897 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 11.) 40.

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

September.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 24: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. .

Fri 18: Danny Lownes’ Hot Club @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Mark Williams Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00., £5.00. student.
Fri 18: Rivkala + Beccy Sloan @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.
Sat 19: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner: Nina Simone. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 19: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Friday, November 11, 2022

TJ Johnson & guests @ Jamboree, London - Nov. 9

TJ Johnson (piano, vocals); James Kitchman (guitar); Alex Clarke (tenor sax) 

Walk two minutes from King's Cross Railway Station and you might stumble upon Jamboree. On the other hand, you're more likely to walk straight past a nondescript back lane not ever knowing that there is a thriving music venue no more than fifty metres off the main drag. Three o'clock Wednesdays, TJ Johnson holds court, invariably a musician friend will drop by second set. This week there was a larger turn out than usual. TJ said: I know why you're all here, you're going to Adrian Cox's gig tonight, aren't you? Adding: I'm Adrian's warm up act. 

Warm up act or not, TJ Johnson is an attraction in his own right*. Piano and vocals, as casual as you like, jazz, blues, country, gospel, an all round entertainer is TJ. Opening with The Glory of Love, TJ and Adrian's Army went for a gentle stroll along the highways and byways of the recorded history of popular music. Every Day I Have the Blues, Old Fashioned Love, Beale Street Blues, it wasn't long before a swing dance couple took to the floor. 

Ramblin' Man, One of These Days, this was TJ in fine form, joined by Northumbrian James Kitchman. Yes, local hero (Hexhamshire) guitarist Kitchman has long since been a fixture on the London scene and here he was fitting in nicely with his old mate TJ. Come Rain or Come Shine featured Kitchman, an excellent solo! Pete Johnson's Jump for Joy and Roll 'em Pete (Big Joe Turner often sang those two numbers) on a Wednesday afternoon in London, you couldn't make it up! Third set (it's a 3:00 'til 6:00pm gig), TJ was joined by another friend (lockdown live stream partner), Alex Clarke playing tenor sax. Again, as casual as you like, no fuss, joining the boys on a few tunes including a seasonal Autumn Leaves and the perennial 'Deed I Do. It was time to go, Adrian Cox's 100 Club gig was fast approaching.

* TJ Johnson will be 'up north' next week to play a couple of gigs. The first of them at Newcastle's Lit & Phil (1:00pm, Friday 18 Nov.) is a sellout. To enquire about returns call 0191 232 0192. The following day (Sat 19, 12:30pm) TJ will be at St Augustine's Parish Centre to play a Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club engagement. Russell            
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