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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Northern Edge Coffee, Silver St., Berwick. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

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.

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

Friday, December 23, 2022

The Francis Tulip-Joe Steels Double Guitar Band @ The Globe - Dec. 22

(© Pam)
Francis Tulip (guitar); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums) + Ferg Kilsby (trumpet)

A scratch guitar pairing, allied to an ace bass and drums partnership, a near full house welcomed the Francis Tulip-Joe Steels Double Guitar Band. 'Double Guitar', it's a kind of 'it does what it says on the tin' name. What the name didn't and doesn't in any way covey is the high level of musicianship on show. Four conservatoire graduates, Tulip, Steels, bassist John Pope and drummer John Hirst, took the opportunity to get together to play some jazz.

(© Pam)
Scratch bands aren't guaranteed to produce the goods, however, having heard each of the musicians on numerous occasions in various settings, this one had 'must hear' written all over it. John Coltrane (26-2) by way of Peter Bernstein, Joshua Redman and Wayne Shorter to Charlie Parker, from the off our quartet tore it up. Guitar solos were of the 'immense' variety and to characterise the  match up, let's call Tulip the remarkably fluent contemporary player. Steels the inventive mainstream player. Steels selected Osvaldo Farrés' Tres Palabras. Was it a bolero? Whatever it was it sounded good!

(© Pam)
A couple of originals, Tulip's Song for S and Steel's The Wait (is that the correct title?), stood comparison with much of the heavyweight material in the set list and it couldn't have been anything other than a pleasure for the two-guitar frontline to be working with the two Johns, Messrs Pope and Hirst. Second set, trumpeter Ferg Kilsby joined the boys on a couple of numbers including a razor-sharp Confirmation. The members of the quartet are twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings, the addition of sixth former Kilsby (a star-in-the-making) suggests the regional contemporary jazz scene is holding up well against a backdrop of cuts to music education in these difficult financial times. If this Newcastle Jazz Co-op gig was a one-off, it'll be remembered fondly by all present. A great night. Russell  
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