Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (DownBeat May, 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

18504 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 368 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 7 ) 22

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

May

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Hey Remember This @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 14: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Philip Larkin’s Jazz Experiment.
Thu 14: Jerron Paxton @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb country blues.
Thu 14: Solcade @ the Bridge Hotel, Newcastle. 7:00pm. EP launch. Rivkala & co..
Thu 14: Jacob Egglestone @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Egglestone (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass); Jack Littlewood (drums) & guests.
Thu 14: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 15: Conor Emery Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Line-up Emery (trombone); Alix Shepherd (piano); John Pope (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 adv., £15.00 on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Puppini Sisters @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!

Sat 16: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. God Bless the Child - Lady Day!. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 16: Kaberry Big Band @ the Seahorse Pub, Hillheads Rd., Whitley Bay NE23 8HR. From 7:30pm. £15.00
Sat 16: Lady Nade @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. ‘Lady Nade sings Nina Simone’.

Sun 17: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Forum Theatre, Billingham. 7:30pm.
Sun 17: QOW Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Spike Wells, Riley Stone-Lonergan & Eddie Myer.

Mon 18: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 18: Mark Williams Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 19: GoGo Penguin + Daudi Matsiko @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £22.00 + £4.40 bf.
Tue 19: Danny Lowndes’ Hot Club @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £5.00 bf.
Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Mark Robertson (drums).

Sunday, January 01, 2023

January preview

It's a busy start to 2023. Many musicians, promoters and venues are back in the swing, banking on audiences turning out during the long, dark days of January. It's been some time since Martin Bennett last ventured onto BSH's patch. Catch his Old Green River Band at Saltburn Community Hall on Friday 6. The Exchange on Howard Street in North Shields hosts a rare gig by Panharmonia on Sunday 8. It's the toss of a coin on Tuesday 10 - the vocals of Jan Spencelayh (The Forum, Darlington) or the reeds of Alex Clarke (see photo) at the Globe, Newcastle. 

Thursday 12 sees the first album launch of the year at Prohibition Bar on Pink Lane, Newcastle as the Abbie Finn Trio unveils material from the new album, appropriately titled, On Pink Lane

Thursday 19 do you go to the Schooner on South Shore Road, Gateshead to hear the Mo Scott Band or Tom Atkinson's ace band paying homage to Pharoah Sanders at Newcastle Jazz Co-op's HQ on Railway Street? Decisions, decisions. The following day (Friday 20) it's Emma Fisk and James Birkett at Newcastle's Lit & Phil (lunchtime) and in the evening at the Traveller's Rest, Darlington, it's Opus 4 Jazz Club's first promotion of the year featuring pianist Dean Stockdale's excellent Celebrating Oscar set. Dean (pictured) will be working with an all-star line-up, highly recommended. Note, the Lit & Phil concert is sold out. However, it could be worth calling the venue on Tuesday (it's closed on Monday 2) to request that your name be added to the waiting list (0191 232 0192)

Whenever and wherever the Gerry Richardson Quartet is out gigging it should be all but compulsory to be there! One of the great bands, be sure to get along to the Globe on Sunday 22. It's a tenner in advance (book at: www.jazz.coop) or twelve quid on the door. 

Finally, on Friday 27 Durham's Gala Theatre resumes its lunchtime concert series with an appearance by the award-winning Zoë Gilby and her quartet. Call the box office (from Tuesday 3) on 03000 266 600. If you hesitate, likely as not, you'll find it's an advance sell out! By way of contrast, in the evening at the Lit & Phil, Jazz North East presents a heavyweight quartet featuring John DikemanPat ThomasJohn Edwards and Steve Noble. Call the venue from 9:30am Tuesday - 0191 232 0192. Be quick or risk missing out! Russell 

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