Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

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: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

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

Tuesday, December 05, 2023

James Birkett Trio @ Blaydon Jazz Club - Dec. 4

(© Roly Veitch)
James Birkett (guitar); Jeremy McMurray (piano); Andy Champion (double bass) + Benita Bull (vocals)

Early December, a Christmas party night of sorts. By design the publicity was all rather low key. Did it deter anyone? Not at all, long before the eight o'clock start the room was bursting at the seams, a crackling atmosphere, it was going to be one of those nights...

Blaydon Jazz Club and the Black Bull pub put on a buffet but we would have to wait until the interval. In the meantime, a pint of the local Firebrick Brewery's Cushy Butterfield (a 5.2% stout), a natter and, before we knew it, the James Birkett Trio took to the stage. 

Lullaby of Birdland opened the set. It's all but impossible to convey how good these guys are (James, guitar, Jeremy McMurray, piano and Andy Champion, bass), virtuosi, that's for sure. Like Someone in Love, the million and one notes One Note Samba, how do they do it? How do they do it with panache? 

To close out a marvellous first set we were treated to a surprise guest appearance by Benita Bull. A long-time friend of James Birkett, from their days at Leeds College of Music, Ms Bull sang Unforgettable followed by Don't Get Around Much Anymore with some first rate scatting. Wow! What a revelation! 

It was time to tuck into the buffet with another pint of Cushy Butterfield at hand. Some thirty minutes later the James Birkett Trio returned to the stage.

It Don't Mean a Thing if (it sure don't), The Nearness of You, Weaver of Dreams, Birkett and co know how to put together a set list. It was time for Benita Bull to rejoin the boys. Our guest vocalist sang My Baby Just Cares for Me, scatting on and off mic, this was most impressive stuff from Blaydon Jazz Club's new friend. The James Birkett Trio - and Benita Bull - deservedly received great applause. This being the season, Have Your Self a Merry Little Christmas sent us on our way. 

Blaydon Jazz Club now goes into hibernation until mid-March. 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of Tyneside's longest-running jazz club. Keep checking BSH for news of next year's concerts! Russell
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