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).

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

The Black Swan jam session @ Newcastle Arts Centre - Nov. 21

The Black Swan, first and third Tuesday in the month, join the queue. Queuing to get into a jam session?! Yep, such is the interest down on Westgate Road punters are turning up earlier and earlier. Other than the house trio it's anyone's guess who'll turn up. This evening would be an ever-accelerating merry-go-round of experienced heads and keen-as-mustard newbies.

Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger and Tim Johnston are 'been there, done that' types but they cannot be other than encouraged, if not impressed, by the emerging talent on the Tyneside jazz scene. A couple of numbers to warm up and the floor was open to the first of the sitters-in. The Ruddicks - that's Baghdaddian alto sax wizard Paul Ruddick and trumpeter Shivan (son of P. Ruddick) - led the way. 

From the house trio's All the Things You Are to sitters-in calling Trane, Brubeck, GASbook numbers (Beautiful Love, Perdido, Lover Man, Black Coffee, Caravan, the list goes on) and more, the joint was jumpin'. Lots of chatter, noisy chatter, the bar ticking over, folk having a good time, you can't/shouldn't  knock it.

Representing the old guard, it was good to see - and hear - John Rowland blowing old school, swinging tenor and the aforementioned P. Ruddick putting down a marker to any alto sax wannabies. Good to see Joe Steels (guitar) dropping by, Conor Emery (trombone), Alex Shipsey (bass), the graduates Jacob Egglestone and Bailey Rudd (guitar and drums respectively) and a clutch of drummers - debutant Joe (Take Five), Bailey, Josh Weir, Michael Mather, Freddie Richards. 

Newcastle University student Ollie (tenor sax) made his Black Swan debut. The word has it he was feeling a tad nervous. Ollie can play, no worries, we'll be hearing more from him, that's for sure. Becky Tuck was in the house. A gigging musician, it was great to see Becky supporting the 'first and third Tuesday in the month' jam session (see photo: Becky with Conor Emery).

Entering the home straight, Mr P.C. - Paul Grainger - assembled the troops for the grand finale. So many of them got up it was difficult to count 'em all - twelve, thirteen, fourteen...And off they went blowing on C Jam Blues (see photo: the frontline horns - Shivan, Ollie, Conor, Esther, the common denominator...they're the new kids on the block). The next Black Swan jam session ('first Tuesday') is scheduled for Tuesday 5 December. It's a 7:30pm start, be prepared to join the queue for the best free show in town. Russell

Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums) + Paul Ruddick (alto sax); Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet); John Rowland, Ollie ? (tenor sax); Shivan Ruddick, Edgar Bell (trumpet); Jacob Egglestone, Joe Steels (guitar); Conor Emery, David Gray (trombone); Alex Shipsey, Jamie Watkins (bass guitar); Owen Jones (double bass); Joe, Bailey Rudd, Josh Weir, Michael Mather, Freddie Richards (drums); Kate O'Neill, Ian Drever, Becky Tuck, ? (vocals)
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