Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

October.

Mon 05: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 06: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Paul Grainger (double bass).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Murray Oak, Paul Grainger, John Bradford.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. First night of two.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Monday, March 25, 2024

Michael Young Trio @ the Engine Room, Sunderland - March 25

(© Russell)
Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger bass); Abbie Finn (drums)

The trio returned to the Engine Room for, I think, their first gig at the venue this year. 

It was an evening that was not without minor catastrophes and that's not counting the weather. Firstly the Metro that I planned to take was withdrawn from service meaning that I arrived just as the pianist was hitting the opening chord of Steely Dan's Do it Again and it was no reflection on the band when my first thought was 'not likely' or at least not until the new trains are up and running!

However, after Norwegian Wood my mood picked up although if they'd opted for Yellow Submarine instead it may have dropped even further. Fortunately sanity prevailed. More Beatles crawled out of the woodwork for Baby You Can Drive my Car.

(© Russell)
By now you will have gathered that the concept of the evening's two sets were jazz versions of contemporary songs such Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit which was followed by Elton's Rocket Man which was when the second catastrophe occurred and the pedal board of the grand piano parted company with the rest of the instrument. A man of many talents, Young was under the piano fixin' (imagine if it had been Peterson or Jarrett!). It was rather like doing a makeshift repair on an exhaust pipe at the roadside. No wonder they closed the set with Led Zep's Black Dog.

Fortunately it was all sorted out during the interval and all was well for the second set. You Are the Sunshine of my Life, taken faster, than usual worked a treat to the extent that it inspired a couple of ladies to get up and strut their stuff. The band kept it going with extended solos all round. As it happens, the first live version I heard of the Stevie Wonder classic was by Stéphane Grappelli with John Etheridge and Diz Disley at nearby Sunderland Empire - a long time ago.

John Lennon's Jealous Guy; Prince's Sexy MF; Billy Preston's You Are so Beautiful and Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time took us to the appropriately named The End so I headed for The Doors.

The Metro was on time - the age of miracles hadn't passed - and I arrived home only slightly wet after an enjoyable evening by an excellent trio. Next one is on April 29. Lance
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