Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18621 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 485 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 14) 37

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

June

Thu 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 18: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 19: Joe Steels Group @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 19: Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £14.33., £11.16., £8.00.
Fri 19: Martin Litton @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 (inc. bf); £6.50 (inc. bf); £15.00 on the door. Solo piano. CANCELLED!
Fri 19: Jools Holland’s R&B Orchestra @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Joe Webb support set.
Fri 19: Hot Club du Nord @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 19: Jive Aces: The Roots of Rock & Roll @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00 + bf.

Sat 20: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer Festival, Corbridge. 5:00-6:00pm.
Sat 20: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 20: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Trinity Church, Gosforth, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. NCRO w. guests Dean Stockdale & Nick Ward.

Sun 21: From Lagos to Longbenton: Unity in the Community @ Sunderland Minster. From 1:30pm. Free. A multi-bill Unity in the Community event, inc. From Lagos to Longbenton.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio w. Graham Hardy.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 22: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 23: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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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