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

18573 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 437 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 28) 91

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

May

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.

Sat 30: Giles Strong Quartet @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £1.50 bf.

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

June

Mon 01: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Mon 01: CW Stoneking @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Blues, Americana.

Tue 02: Mark Williams Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 02: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Postmodern Jukebox @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Thu 04: 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 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Monday, March 04, 2024

The Great North Big Band Jazz Festival - Friday March 1

Bill Watson BEM has been running the Great North Big Band Jazz Festival for, wait for it, twenty one years! Bands - school, youth and senior - travel from all points, eager to participate, no doubt dreaming of taking home an award. The event planning is year round (chasing funding, persuading sponsors to get on board, confirming bands' participation, and so much more), culminating in three days of big band action. The GNBBJF is the premier event of its kind and regular attendees here in Chester-le-Street have come to expect musicianship of the highest standard.

Friday evening's concert programme featured Musicians Unlimited. Advance publicity suggested it would be a double bill, however, on this occasion, the Festival Band was unable to appear. Every cloud has a silver lining...we were treated to not one but two sets from Mick Donnelly's long-established outfit! 

As Musicians Unlimited took to the Park View Community Centre stage, the non-competitive, stress-free aspect of the concert afforded musicians and audience alike the luxury of enjoying the occasion, the stress (and all of that stuff) was for tomorrow! Fittingly, festival director Bill Watson led the way for the evening's many soloists, blowing trumpet on I've Found a New Baby. MU's trumpet section shone on Sammy Nestico's arrangement of Satin Doll, Watson and pianist Gary Hadfield featured on All or Nothing at All and the reeds impressed on Bill Bailey. 

In the Mood opened the second set, MD Donnelly stressing, as if by way of apology, it was the Doc Severinson arrangement! Miller or not, it was more than good. Blowing tenor all night, star soloist Sue Ferris demonstrated just how good she is. Make that 'fantastic'. And then there were the vocalists - Jan Spencelayh and Paul Skerritt.* At intervals during the evening Jan and Paul would take to the stage, standing out front, making themselves heard - Jan on This Masquerade, A Night Like This and others, Paul singing Happy Together, Misty and more. To close two enjoyable sets, Musicians Unlimited went out on a high. Playing flute, Sue Ferris (and band) blew the roof off with Tito Puente's Oye Coma Va.    

* Paul Skerritt and the Danny Miller Big Band will be in concert at the Glasshouse (formerly Sage Gateshead), Gateshead on Friday 26 April. Book now at: www.theglasshouseicm.org. Russell
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