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

Sunday, April 16, 2023

Dean Stockdale Quartet: Celebrating Oscar @ Queen's Hall, Hexham - April 16

Dean Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums)

To launch a new monthly Sunday afternoon concert series in Hexham pianist Dean Stockdale presented his 'Celebrating Oscar' - that's Oscar Peterson - set to a capacity audience in the library of Queen's Hall Arts Centre. Joining Stockdale were his regular quartet bandmates from west of the Pennines, guitarist Tim Williams, bassist Gavin Barras and drummer Gaz Hughes. 

From the opening Blues Etude through to the set-closing Hymn to Freedom all four musicians were on top form. Until last year guitarist Tim Williams was an unknown quantity to jazz fans on Tyneside and the wider region. Not any more, what a great player he is! A few months ago at the Lit and Phil in Newcastle the quartet played to a full house and Williams was a revelation, this afternoon he won a host of new fans here in the Northumberland market town. Think Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis and, with his own distinctive voice, Mr T Williams. Unison lines with Stockdale were a joy to listen to, the swinging bass and drums of Messrs Barras and Hughes equally so. 

The four musicians on the stand have worked together on many occasions and it shows: empathetic, if not telepathic, a nod, a smile, charts polished but not prescriptive, with licence for individual expression. Way back when at a late night session (eg Newcastle's Corner House) such was the excitement generated by a blues or a real cooker (Hogtown Blues, C Jam Blues) they would have elicited mid-number shouts from the five-deep barflies of Yeah!!! Yeah!!! It wasn't quite like this here in genteel Hexham but we're working on it! 

Solos were plentiful - Stockdale then Williams, Barras then Hughes, all swinging like nobody's business. This all-Oscar Peterson set (compositions/arrangements) hit the spot, the Tyne Valley audience lapping it up. A new album is in the offing and on the evidence of this performance it's definitely one to look out for. Russell    

Set list: Blues Etude; Falling in Love With Love; Bossa Beguine; Nigerian Marketplace; Have You Met Miss Jones?; Night Train; Noreen's Nocturne; When Summer Comes; Hogtown Blues; Wheatland; C Jam Blues; Hymn to Freedom.   

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