Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18445 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 309 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 20 ) 43,

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

April

Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ni Maxine + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sun 26: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 26: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00., £7.00.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: House of Blues @ the Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00., £5.00. advance. A student-led jazz session. ‘House of Blues’ is, perhaps, a misnomer.
Mon 27: Littlewood Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00 + bf, £7.00. + bf.

Tue 28: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Hackney Colliery Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £25.00.

Thu 30: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: International Jazz Day & JANE AGM.
Thu 30: Duke Junction @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Nadim Teimoori (tenor sax); Jeff Hewer (guitar); Martin Longhawn (organ); Steve Hanley (drums). An International Jazz Day event & the 12th anniversary of Newcastle Jazz Co-op acquiring the Globe!

Fri 01: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 01: Bede Wind Band + East Coast Swing Band @ Cullercoats Methodist Church. 7:30pm. £10.00. Tickets from: www.ticketsource.com, members of Bede Wind Band & at the door. Memorial concert for Anne-Marie Purvis, who was a member of both ensembles. All proceeds to Tiny Lives Trust.
Fri 01: Louis Louis Louis @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.

Wednesday, March 01, 2023

Preview: The GNBBJF is coming to Chester-le-Street (March 3 - 5)

The Great North Big Band Jazz Festival is coming to Chester-le-Street! From its beginnings in Sunderland, supported by the University of Sunderland and other local organisations, in recent years the GNBBJF relocated to Chester-le-Street. This weekend's event, its 20th anniversary year, at Park View Community Centre runs from Friday evening (March 3) through to early Sunday evening (March 5). If you like big band jazz the Great North Big Band Jazz Festival is the one event you cannot afford to miss!

Friday evening presents a double bill of big band jazz. Mick Donnelly's Musicians Unlimited will be supported by a hand picked Festival Band. The action gets under way at eight o'clock, admission on the door is a mere fiver and the bar will be open!

Saturday and Sunday are the event's competition days. First up on Saturday, its the senior bands featuring community ensembles (including the ever-popular Tyne Valley Big Band) and a plethora of terrific student outfits (including Durham University Big Band and Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra). Not that the local bands will have it all their own way, far from it. Coach loads of top class bands from all points will be descending on Chester-le-Street determined to take home some silverware. The Managers Big Band will be defending a long winning streak. If there's a band good enough to dethrone the band from Bolton it's going to be some band!!! Saturday begins bright and early at 11:00am. Hot food and a bar will be available and it's £10.00. admission. A great day is in prospect.

Sunday dawns early, it's another 11:00am start! And what a day lies ahead. Schools and youth big bands will be sharing centre stage. Bands based in the region will have their supporters rooting for them, as will young musicians who have travelled a distance. They come from all over, some setting off at the crack of dawn to make it to Chester-le-Street on time. This is the day to support the stars of tomorrow, a tenner at the door. 

During the weekend the Mark Jon Bolderson Percussion Foundation will once again set out its stall at Park View Community Centre, do say 'hello' to Amanda and friends. And it's more than likely the Musicians Union will be in attendance once more. Park View Community Centre is located just off Front Street in Chester-le-Street, buses galore (inc. the X21 and 21 run to and from Newcastle, Durham and Bishop Auckland). You like big band jazz? See you at this weekend's Great North Big Band Jazz Festival! Russell         

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