Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 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

19,066 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 930 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 31) 109.

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

November

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hejira - Celebrating Joni Mitchell @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Cut Capers @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).
Thu 05: Northern Reaches @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Pete Tanton, Joe Steels, Laurence Blackadder, John Hirst.
Thu 05: Fergus McCreadie @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 06: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 1/3.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Jazz Night: Bridget Metcalfe @ Saltburn House Hotel. From 6:00pm. Tickets: £40.00 (inc. a two-course meal & glass of Prosecco). Tel: 01287 658977.
Fri 06: The Exu + Kraabel/Harrison/Birchall @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm. JNE.

Sat 07: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 2/3.
Sat 07: Ewan Bleach’s Cable Street Ragtime Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington.
12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. Superb band.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Find Your Pocket: Funk & Groove. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Red Kites Jazz @ Costa Café, St James’ Retail Park, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sat 07: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 6:00pm.

Sun 08: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 3/3.
Sun 08: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 08: Kaberry Big Band @ Forest Hall Social Club. 3:00pm. £7.00 (inc. tea & cake). Charity event for the Poppy Appeal.
Sun 08: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Bechet-Spanier Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.; £5.00. Muggsy Spanier was born 125 years ago today (9 November 1901). This afternoon’s all-star quartet - from London, Lewis Taylor (cornet) & Michael McQuaid (reeds), from Paris, Félix Hunot (guitar), from London, Harry Evans (string bass) - salutes Muggsy!
Mon 09: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 09: Bechet-Spanier Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00. Muggsy Spanier was born 125 years ago today (9 November 1901). This evening’s all-star quartet - from London, Lewis Taylor (cornet), from London, Michael McQuaid (reeds), from Paris, Félix Hunot (guitar), from London, Harry Evans (string bass) - salutes Muggsy!

Tue 10: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Becky Tuck (vocals).
Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 11: Plague Doctors Cure All + Noonward @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm. JNE.

Saturday, August 05, 2023

Preview: Newcastle Jazz Festival - Saturday August 19

Two weeks today (Saturday, August 19) it's the first of two full days of action at Tyne Bank Brewery. Located east of the Ouseburn on Walker Road, the brewery's spacious premises is the ideal venue for an all day festival. Doors open at one o'clock with the first set getting underway half an hour later. 

First on stage at 1:30pm, it's the Ruth Lambert Duo! Vocalist Ruth Lambert's recently formed collaboration with guitarist Martin Craggs is an occasional pairing and this Newcastle Jazz Festival appearance is likely to win the duo many new fans. 

Following Lambert and Craggs at 2:40pm it's the Giles Strong Quartet. Quietly-spoken Strong is one of the finest guitarists around and his current quartet features three of the region's most in demand musicians: Pete Tanton (trumpet, flugelhorn), Ian Paterson (double bass) and John Bradford (drums). Expect a set of accomplished original compositions alongside one or two choice standards. At 3:50pm stand by for a border raid. Currently playing a series of sold out shows at this year's Edinburgh Fringe, JazzMain - Nick Gould (tenor sax), pianist Steve Grossart, bassist Iain Harkness and drummer Kevin Dorrian - will hit Tyne Bank with a swinging Blue Note-inspired set. 

At five o'clock the Dean Stockdale Quartet will be Celebrating Oscar. Stockdale (piano), Tim Williams (guitar), Gavin Barras (double bass) and Max Popp (drums) will be playing, yes, you've guessed it...Oscar Peterson! Stockdale's homage to the late, great Canadian pianist has won universal praise and this is one set you really shouldn't miss. If there's a busier, hard working musician than Nigel Price your correspondent has yet to come across them. Topping the bill at a quarter past six in the evening is the Nigel Price Organ Trio, that's Price (guitar), Ross Stanley (Hammond organ) and Joel Barford (drums). Price is a stupendous guitarist, Stanley is a master of the Hammond and the brilliant Barford, in his mid-twenties, has to be seen (and heard) to be believed. Make no mistake, this will be one seriously smokin' set! 

Ninety minutes later (7:45pm) Saturday at Tyne Bank Brewery will be brought to a close by Hoochie Coochie favourites Swannek. Fronted by vocalist Mollie Birmingham this is jazz, funk, soul and a whole lot more. Jazz for the twenty first century!  

Advance day tickets are a bargain at £18.00 (those who have purchased a five day festival pass will be guaranteed entry). Check out: www.newcastlejazzfestival.co.uk. Alternatively, if Saturday isn't an advance sell out you'll be able to pay at the door. Don't take a chance, book in advance! Russell  
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