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

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 Kevin Eland (trumpet).
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.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

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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