Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

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

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Press release: HOMER’S LANE and others

I am very happy that my audio play Homer’s Lane,  inspired by the life and work of Joe the Quilter, is finally coming very close to its original setting.

After a wonderful reception at the UK International Audio Drama Festival, the play will be presented at the Old Gaol Museum in Hexham, just around the corner from Homer’s Lane, a little country road near Warden. 

On Friday the 15th of September Homer’s Lane will be played three times (2pm, 3pm, 5pm) as a special broadcast in the upstairs room of the museum. 

The last performance will be combined with a live concert by the amazing musicians John Pope and John Garner, who also made the soundtrack for the audio play.  They will be presenting their wonderful Water Music Album, paying tribute to mid-to-late-twentieth century artists who shook the world to its core, driving political and social change in their wake, including Jeanne Lee, Alice Coltrane, Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry.

There are only limited places for each event, so please secure your tickets early.

More information and tickets are found under this link: 

DIE GETRÄUMTE STADT audio collage 

For all German speakers there is still time to listen to my audio collage Die geträumte Stadt/ the City, which was inspired by a 5-month artist residency in the City of Basel, Switzerland in 2022.
The audio play is presented online as a Sonic Summer Special by the Citizen Büro of the City of Basel. 
For more information and to listen to the play please follow this link:

THE GREAT NORTHERN DIVER audio play by Jim Lloyd

For all Bird lovers and Poetry fans I invite you to the MA exhibition at Newcastle University which will open this Friday, 18th of August and will be running for two weeks. 
I was collaborating with artist and poet  Jim Lloyd,  directing and producing his audio play The Great Northern Diver, which tells the story of one man's attempt to capture bird calls as he searches to understand what it might be like to be a bird.  

SOLITUDE audio Play

I am very delighted that my first audio play Solitude will be travelling to the wonderful Church of St John, a Grade II listed Building in Healey Northumberland in October. Known for its regular art exhibitions and concerts, Solitude will be broadcast for a live audience on the 21st of October. More information about the event will be send out nearer at the time. 

A big thank you to all my collaborators and friends for their ongoing support. 
Hope to see some of you at one of the events. Gabriele Heller

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