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Bebop Spoken There

George Colligan: ''I think to be a successful musician, you must be versatile to make a living — until you find your niche''. (DownBeat, July 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

17,635 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 599 of them this year alone and, so far, 77 this month (July 25).

From This Moment On ...

JULY 2025

Thu 31: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:30pm. £5.00.

AUGUST 2025

Fri 01: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 01: Tongues of Fire @ Stockton International Riverside Festival: High St, North Bus Loop. 6:30-8:45pm. Free.
Fri 01: Matt Anderson & Friends @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £14.79.
Fri 01: Tongues of Fire @ Stockton International Riverside Festival: Town Hall & Fountain Area. 8:45-9:30pm. Free.

Sat 02: Met Office @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). £10.00.
Sat 02: Tongues of Fire @ Stockton International Riverside Festival: High St, North Bus Loop. 1:15-1:45pm & 4:15-5:00pm. Free.
Sat 02: Brass, Eye? @ Stockton International Riverside Festival: High St, North Bus Loop. 5:45-6:30pm. Free.
Sat 02: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm.
Sat 02: Brass, Eye? + Tongues of Fire @ Stockton International Riverside Festival: Town Hall & Fountain Area. 8:45-9:30pm. Free.

Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 03: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: King Bees @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. From 1:00pm. £5.00. A Gosforth Beer Festival event. Multi-bill (1:00-5:00pm). Chicago blues band.
Sun 03: The Revolutionaires @ Seaham Food Festival (North Road Amphitheatre). 1:15pm. Free. Rhythm & blues feat. Fast Eddie.
Sun 03: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ Seaham Food Festival (North Road Amphitheatre). 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 03: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: Tongues of Fire @ Stockton International Riverside Festival: High St (Walkabout). 7:30-8:15pm. Free.
Sun 03: Redwell @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 03: Tongues of Fire @ Stockton International Riverside Festival: Trinity Green. 9:00-9:30pm. Free.

Mon 04: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 04: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel, Saltburn. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Public rehearsal session.

Tue 05: Olly Styles: Undergraduate Recital @ Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 2:00-2:40pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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

Thursday, September 21, 2023

TJ Johnson @ Jamboree, King's Cross - Sept. 20

TJ Johnson (piano, vocals)

When in London, if it's a Wednesday afternoon, St Chad's Place, King's Cross is the place to be. It's three o'clock and a relaxed TJ Johnson ambles onto Jamboree's bijou stage. Piano and vocals, TJ knows how to entertain - engaging his audience, no airs and graces, the kind of bloke you could chat to down at the Dog and Duck.

I Get the Blues When it Rains sang TJ. How apt as the first of the day's rain began to fall. Later in the day Noah's Arc would be pressed into action. June Night - a rare TJ instrumental - mourned the passing of summer, Lonesome Cities (as recorded by Sinatra), I Get a Kick Out of You (a finger-snapping TJ) to BB King's Paying the Cost to be the Boss (TJ smiling as he referenced his ex-wife!). 

This afternoon's visit to the King's Cross hideaway was a first set only affair due to an upcoming evening gig elsewhere in town. TJ signed off a fine first set with another appropriate number - Autumn Leaves

On leaving Jamboree a quick 'hello' to TJ, our man confirming his all-star band will be up in Darlington on Saturday 4 November. Russell 

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