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 08, 2023

The Black Swan jam session - Nov. 7

It's becoming a thing - arriving at the Black Swan well before seven o'clock when the doors are scheduled to open. Punters old and new were in the queue. A queue at a jam session! Before the seven thirty start the place was more than busy. A while later, up on the street, Newcastle Arts Centre resorted to operating a 'one in, one out' policy. Who'd have thought it?! 
The house trio - pianist Ben Phillips, bassist Paul Grainger and drummer Abbie Finn - set the standard with On Green Dolphin Street. One sensed it was going to be a good session. 

Two or three tunes in, Harry Keeble got up to play a couple of numbers, In a Sentimental Mood an early highlight, that's for sure. The man of the moment, alto saxophonist Luis Verde, chipped in with a couple of numbers of his own, on There'll Never Be Another You flanked by Keeble and trumpeter Elliott Todd. Quite a line-up! 

The pace didn't let up all night. The Black Swan merry-go-round spun ever faster...young Lara Rana (one to watch) on trumpet with John Rowland on tenor for company, Jan Spencelayh singing, accompanied by Elliott Todd, guitarist Ben Helm and Alex Shipsey, bass (MC Grainger making a rare excursion to the bar), The singers were queuing up - Becky, Kate, Issie, Lisa, Ellen and others. A rare appearance by pianist Grace Alexander enabled Ben Phillips to 'take five', they were coming thick and fast. And then, to close, the man himself, Mr Paul Skerritt! Let the Good Times Roll - what else?! Entertainment with an upper case 'E', first rate jazz musicians, a welcoming venue, it's little wonder they're queueing at the door. The next Black Swan jam session is scheduled for Tuesday 21st, 7:30pm prompt. If you want a ringside seat for the best free show in town the best advice is...arrive early! Russell

Ben Phillips (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums) + Harry Keeble, John Rowland (tenor sax); Luis Verde (alto sax); Jacob Egglestone, Ben Helm, Liam ?, ? (guitar); Lara Rana, Elliott Todd, Edgar Bell (trumpet); David Gray (trombone); Grace Alexander, ? (piano); Alex Shipsey (bass); Jamie Watkins, Owen Jones (double bass); Bailey Rudd, Freddie Richards, Josh ? (drums); Jan Spencelayh, Becky Tuck, ?, Kate O'Neill, Issie ?, Lisa ?, Ellen ?, Paul Skerritt, Ian Drever (vocals)      
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