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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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, April 24, 2023

Breaking news - R.I.P. Steve Horowitz

It is with the deepest sadness that I have to report that Steve Horowitz passed away today after a long battle with cancer.

Steve, known to BSH readers as Steve H, contributed many album and gig reviews which were always perceptive and frequently with a humorous sting in the tail.

We shared a love of jazz, not always in total agreement, football, never in total agreement and real ale, always in total agreement!

I will forever be thankful for his contributions to BSH which began in 2013 but, even more so, I will cherish his friendship.

Our condolences go out to Sandra - Sandra and Steve were a lovely couple and so supportive of the music.

The photo shows Steve (right) with bandleader Colin Aitchison when they met up at Ned Kelly's in Hong Kong in 2018.

Very sadly missed. Lance (and all at BSH)

More to follow re funeral etc...

6 comments :

Russell said...

Steve will be sorely missed. We often talked beer, football (Brentford and Newcastle) and jazz, sometimes all at the same time!

JC said...

Very sad to hear the news about Steve.
I used to meet him and Sandra regularly at gigs, particularly at the fondly remembered Splinter sessions at the Bridge, and they were always very welcoming and open to chats about many different topics as well as jazz.
We discovered we were both BSH reviewers when I added a slightly idiosyncratic comment to one of his (as Lance says always interesting) reviews which he took in good spirit. From then on I knew I had found a new friend.

Sincere condolences to Sandra.

JC

Keith Barrett (on F/b) said...

Very sad to hear that. Thanks for the notice

Steve T said...

Such sad news. I saw him at the Ant Law/ Hitchcock gig at the Bridge where he told me what was going on with him but I had no idea his time remaining was to be so short. We didn't always agree on music either but I recognised his passion and I felt a particular affinity with him since he was the reason Lance re-christened me Steve T. As has been said, a lovely couple and Newcastle Jazz will miss him very much.

Ann Alex said...

It's always sad when one of the writing team leaves us. Happy memories.

Ken Drew said...


Very sad to hear the news about Steve. He'll always be remembered through meeting him at many Jazz gigs around Newcastle, and his BSH contributions too. Sincere condolences to Sandra and family.

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