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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Saturday, June 10, 2023

Bonnie Raitt @ Sage Gateshead - June 9

Bonnie Raitt (guitar, piano, vocals); Duke Levine (guitar, mandolin, backing vocals); Glenn Patscha (organ, keys, backing vocals); James 'Hutch' Hutchinson (bass guitar, double bass, backing vocals); Ricky Fataar (drums)

Hall One sold out some months ago. As soon as tickets went on sale they were quickly snapped up for a rare appearance by the Grammy award-winning Bonnie Raitt. The American superstar told the Sage Gateshead audience she was happy to be on the road again following the dark days of Covid lockdowns. It didn't greatly matter that during the course of the evening she announced on more than one occasion how happy she was to be here in 'Newcastle'. We can forgive visiting stars confusing Gateshead with Newcastle!

The American's ace band comprised long-serving bassist James 'Hutch' Hutchison (Earl King, Professor Longhair, the Neville Bros., and countless others), drummer Ricky Fataar (the Beach Boys, one of many on his glittering cv), Canadian Glenn Patscha (Ry Cooder and a host of jazz associates including Brian Blade, Donald Harrison and Lizz Wright) and, on this tour, replacing George Marinelli, guitarist Duke Levine (Mary Chapin Carpenter, J. Geils Band, Otis Rush).                            
Material from Raitt's album 2022 Just Like That...featured alongside numbers from way back. The passing years haven't diminished Raitt's vocal power, her famed slide guitar playing was on show, although perhaps not as much as some had hoped for, and, for one number, our Rock and Roll Hall of Famer sat at the keyboard. Made Up Mind from Just Like That..., Used to Rule the World from 2012's Slipstream, Raitt raided her extensive back catalogue. Guitar techs frequently wandered on and off stage handing Raitt (and Levine) yet another, differently tuned guitar. Glenn Patscha alternated between organ (a Hammond?) and a bank of keyboards, Hutchinson and Fataar making do with a little less hardware. 

Blame it on Me, Bob Dylan's Million Miles, an excellent Livin' for the Ones from the new album, and several tributes to friends no longer with us, notably Raitt's heartfelt remembrance of John Prine, the one hour and forty minutes' performance flew by. A brief encore, a bow and Bonnie Raitt was gone.        
 
Bonnie Raitt's set list included: Made Up Mind; Used to Rule the World; Blame it on Me; Million Miles; Something to Talk About; Livin' for the Ones; Angel from Montgomery.

Earlier, Bonnie Raitt's special guest on the tour, Gareth Dunlop, received an enthusiastic reception in the rapidly-filling auditorium.

Gareth Dunlop (guitar, keyboards, vocals); Pete Wallace (guitar, vocals)

A singer-songwriter from Belfast, Dunlop was joined on stage by guitarist Pete Wallace. Dunlop spent a decade or so in Nashville, America as a composer (film and television) and performer. Our man confided supporting Bonnie Raitt was a surreal experience, the Irishman a fan since his teenage years. Raw, soulful vocals, Gareth Dunlop won himself many new fans here on Tyneside. Russell       

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