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 Stedman (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

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Alan Barnes with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ Opus 4 Jazz Club, Darlington - Feb. 10

Alan Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums) + Harry Keeble (tenor sax)

Opus 4 Jazz Club was likely to be busy. When one A Barnes is in town they all want to be at the Traveller's Rest on West Auckland Road. Sure enough, long before the doors opened at the Cockerton hostelry they were queuing on the stairs. A pint of Theakston's Best, a ringside seat, we were ready to go. As at BATH earlier in the day (that's Bishop Auckland Town Hall), Alan Barnes took to the floor with Messrs Stockdale and Shoulder and Ms Finn. Two sets, time enough for the musicians to stretch out, time enough for the punters to have a few beers, in other words, an old school, proper jazz club night out.

A jam-packed room made for a sense of occasion, You Stepped Out of a Dream, Old Folks, Stablemates (Barnes springing Benny Golson's number on the trio, the verdict? A+) and an absolutely scorching Straight No Chaser (notes read AB WOW!!! and AF √√√ next day translating to Alan Barnes WOW!!! and Abbie Finn √√√). Billy Strayhorn's evocative, mist-shrouded Chelsea Bridge with  Barnes on baritone, Gerry Mulligan's Apple Core (a contrafact of Arthur Schwartz's Love Me or Leave Me) featured Finn's immaculate brushwork. A fine first set.

Interval: another pint of Theakston's, a winning raffle ticket (another CD for the collection), and onto the second set. Barnes, toting his liquorice stick, opted to play Jobim's A Felicidade, featuring a tasty Abbie Finn drum solo. It was time to introduce the evening's special guest, playing tenor sax, the amiable Harry Keeble. Our man called You and the Night and the Music, Barnes offering contrast on alto. Barnes changing to baritone on A Night in Tunisia proved to be a rollercoaster ride, all five musicians rolling with it. To close, another scorcher...Yardbird Suite, Barnes blazing on alto, Stockdale and Shoulder, heads down, giving it some, Finn on the ride cymbal a la Max Roach. It had been a cracking night, next month (March 17) it's the Gaz Hughes Trio. Make a point of being there! Russell
at

1 comment :

Ron said...

Great review Russell, as always. Great night as well. Ron

Monday, February 13, 2023 10:55:00 am

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