Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 2025

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

18083 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1047 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 14), 61.

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. bf).

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

Saturday, February 11, 2023

NN North Sea Jazz Festival programme announced

(Press release) The NN North Sea Jazz Festival, the world’s largest indoor music festival, has announced the first wave of artists for its hugely-anticipated return to the Ahoy Centre in Rotterdam this July. Taking place from Friday 7th – Sunday 9th July 2023, this year’s event will present a line-up bursting with huge international stars from across the worlds of jazz, blues, soul, pop and beyond. 

The festival has confirmed an array of some of the world’s most celebrated jazz artists including South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, revered trumpeter and educator Wynton Marsalis with his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, pioneering guitarist Pat Metheny with Side-Eye, Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek, Maria Schneider & The Oslo Jazz EnsembleBill FrisellHermeto PascoalStanley ClarkeYussef Dayes, Ezra Collective and many more.

Amongst over 60 artists announced today are superstar UK rapper and singer Stormzy, multi-GRAMMY-winning singer Lizzo, music royalty Tom Jones, visionary singer and songwriter Van Morrison, the truly legendary blues singer and guitarist Buddy Guy, captivating soul trio Gabriels, R&B and neo soul powerhouse Jill Scott and gospel phenomenon Mavis Staples amongst many others

The current line-up can be found here, with more acts to be announced in the coming months: https://www.northseajazz.com/en/program/    

Welcoming more than 75,000 music fans each year, the North Sea Jazz Festival has built an incomparable reputation since its inaugural year in 1976 hosting a string of musical icons over the years from Miles Davis and Count Basie to Amy Winehouse and Adele. This summer the festival expects more than a thousand musicians, spread out over 150 performances and fifteen different stages. Less than an hour’s plane-ride away, a direct train from London St Pancras or ferry ride, the North Sea Jazz Festival is easily accessible from the UK and perfectly suited for a weekend retreat. 

Three-day weekend tickets are already sold out, single day tickets go on sale from 1st February at 10am GMT and available HERE.

NN North Sea Jazz Festival 2023 – Rotterdam Ahoy Centre 

Friday 7 July: Alabaster DePlume; Andrew Cyrille Quartet; Bill Frisell FOUR ft. Greg Tardy, Gerald Clayton, and Jonathan Blake; Buddy Guy - Dammn Right Farewell; Cha Wa; Fergus McCreadie Trio; Jasper Blom Quartet with Pablo Held; Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis; Kenny Barron Quartet; Linda May Han Oh; Marco Mezquida Trio; Maria Schneider & Oslo Jazz Ensemble presents 'Data Lords'; Mavis Staples; Mette Rasmussen Trio North; MonoNeon; Stormzy; SuperBlue: Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter with the Huntertones Horns; Terri Lyne Carrington; The Teskey Brothers; Van Morrison; Yussef Dayes; Zwangere Guy & Lander Gyselinck.

Saturday 8 July: Anna Webber Simple Trio; DeWolff & Dawn Brothers present Double Cream; Eloise; Fred Hersch, Drew Gress, Joey Baron; Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra; Jacob Banks; Jan Garbarek; Jill Scott; Kenny Garrett Quintet; Kokoroko; Lucas Santana 5tet; Marcus Miller; Olivia Dean; The Staples Jr. Singers; Tom Jones; Trondheim Jazz Orchestra & GURLS; Vloeimans Goudsmit Fraanje 'Fugimundi'.

Sunday 9 July: Benny Sings; Branford Marsalis Quartet; Cymande; EZRA Collective; Gabriels; Hermeto Pascoal; Kandace Springs; Latanya Alberto; Laufey; Lizzo; Oded Tzur; Pat Metheny Side-Eye; Samara Joy; Sampa The Great; Son Little; Stanley Clarke N’4Ever; Teis Semey Quintet.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Stormzy and Tom Jones at a jazz festival?

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