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

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

The Central Bar Quintet plays The Tokyo Blues @ Central Bar, Gateshead - Feb. 13

Jamie Toms (tenor sax); Pete Tanton (trumpet, vocal); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

The Central Bar Quintet's monthly session has many things going for it: a first set performance of an album (invariably a classic Blue Note recording), a second set of familiar numbers, a fine quintet, friends all, performing in a relaxed setting and, for some, the importance of a good selection of beers at the bar. A mere fiver admission, there's only one place to be on the second Monday in the month, that's Central Bar on Half Moon Lane. 

This evening's session trained the spotlight on Horace Silver's 1962 Blue Note album The Tokyo Blues. Drummer John Bradford welcomed one and all before handing over to Pete Tanton to guide us through the evening's entertainment. Trumpeter Tanton made the observation that despite the album's title - The Tokyo Blues - none of the five tracks is really a blues. No matter, Silver's instantly recognisable sound rang out as the horns - Jamie Toms, tenor sax, and Tanton, trumpet - played off one another with the rhythm section - Alan 'Horace Silver' Law, depping bassist Paul Grainger and the aforementioned John Bradford - right on the money. Rehearsal time is an unaffordable luxury on a gig like this, it's more 'turn up, glance at the charts and play the tunes'. A little rough around the edges (the endings were hit and miss affairs), it didn't matter a jot, the smiles spoke volumes, they were having fun.                   
    
The Tokyo Blues' set list: Too Much Sake; Sayonara Blues; The Tokyo Blues; Cherry Blossom; Ah! So.

Second set: Valentine's Day. Oh, no! Actually, it was all rather painless, in fact, rather delightful. Pete Tanton's Chet Baker-ish vocals are never less than a delight and they would feature prominently. The More I See You, It Could Happen to You, My Funny Valentine (unavoidable and excellent!), Our Love is Here to Stay, Let's Get Lost and more. Next month (Monday, date to be confirmed, 7:30pm) it's a Wes Montgomery centenary year celebration. Russell  
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