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

Monday, February 06, 2023

Dean Stockdale Quartet @ the Railway, Stockport - Feb. 5

(© Jeff Pritchard)
Dean Stockdale (keys); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (bass); Gaz Hughes (drums).

As most jazz fans who attend live events in both the north east and the north west will know, Dean is a big admirer of the late Oscar Peterson and for this gig many of the tunes selected were composed by the Canadian pianist. I was pretty young when I first heard Oscar playing Tenderly on one of the AFN jazz shows and it made a lasting impression on me. One of the things I like about Peterson is the way he performs as a sideman backing such greats as Stan Getz and Lester Young. I did see see him a few times live, mainly solo or with NHOP on bass but they were  gigs that were not all that memorable.

I was pleased to see Dean had added a first rate guitarist to the lineup who was well suited to interpreting the tricky arrangements. Tim Williams did a great job and was ably assisted by the bass and drums team of Gavin Barras and Gaz Hughes. It was good to hear the bass playing a prominent role in the quartet and he had a major part to play in the intro to Nigerian Market Place. I can’t praise Gavin enough, he always sounds brilliant no matter what situation he finds himself in.  If I had to pick out a high spot it would be difficult but maybe it would be Falling In Love With Love which started in 3/4 time then switched to 4/4 then back to 3/4 for the final chorus. The quartet had no problem with the tempo changes I’m pleased to report. 


I also liked what they did with Jimmy Forrest’s Night Train which closed the first set and featured a solo from Tim Williams which made me think of Herb Ellis and Barney Kessel who often worked with Peterson. The concert concluded with Peterson’s Hymn To Freedom.


The next jazz night at the Railway is on Feb. 7 with the Ed Kainyek Quartet. Mike Farmer

 

Blues Etude; Falling In Love With Love; Bossa Beguine; Have You Met Miss Jones?;Nigerian Market Place; Night Train; Noreen's Nocturne; When Summer Comes; Blues For the Prairies; Wheatland; Place De Henrie (?); Hymn To Freedom.

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