Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat 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

18982 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 846 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 8.) 25.

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

October.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 4:45pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: NW FRQNC @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. Selina Albright, Gianni Vancini.
Wed 14: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 15: Leah Kirk: A Strange Affair @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Leah Kirk (vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 15: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. PJO w. guest Graham Hardy (trumpet).

Sunday, December 18, 2022

Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Christmas @ Sage Gateshead - Dec. 17

Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Emma Fisk (violin); Matt Anderson (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet, bass clarinet); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone); Megan Robinson (flute, piccolo); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums)

In a review of the first night of the Strictly Smokin' Big Band's sold out Christmas shows at Gosforth Civic Theatre, your correspondent sought to draw a parallel with Lindisfarne's now legendary run of sold out nights at this time of year at Newcastle City Hall. Last night at Sage Gateshead the same thought occurred, Paul Edis' magical A Jazzy Christmas has similarly become part of the seasonal landscape. All three tiers in Sage Two were teaming with those taken by the festive spirit. Whatever real world problems are out there, for a couple of hours we were in a Winter Wonderland. 

Edis' on-stage 'Friends', numbering nine in total, are some of the best in the business. Vocalist Jo Harrop's star is in the ascendant, her duo album collaboration with Edis (When Winter Turns to Spring) has received widespread acclaim, not to mention much radio airplay, and here she was, for the most part, the focal point of the evening. Edis' brilliant arrangements combined the seasonal with the jazz, of which there was plenty. Edis thought it right to include in the set list Carol of the Bells, it's composer...Ukrainian Mykola Leontovych. 

An ensemble of top flight soloists, all had their moment in the spotlight: Emma Fisk sublime, Faye Thompson, Megan Robinson (piccolo) absolutely brilliant, Andy Champion impossibly good, Matt MacKellar, on a flying visit home from Boston, USA, immense. A Basie-esque Splanky intro brought in Santa Baby (one for the diehard jazz fans), and a Paul Edis-Kate Edis original composition, Perfect Winter's Day summed up what was a perfect winter's evening. Year after year A Jazzy Christmas at Sage Gateshead is a sell out. This year, not one but two performances, a sold out show at St Cuthbert's Centre in Crook and tomorrow (Monday) there is a final opportunity to catch Edis and Friends in the region at Sunderland's marvellous Fire Station venue. To book your tickets see: www.sunderlandculture.org.uk. Russell
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