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

Monday, October 28, 2024

Sue Ferris Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth - Oct. 28

© Russell

Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Graham Hardy (trumpet); Ben Lawrence (piano); John Pope (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

Shirt sleeves in Blyth in the last week of October. Who would have thought it? The Yamaha Music School on Seaforth Street is beginning to succeed in attracting regulars. All the indications are the place is heading in the right direction. 

This Monday lunchtime concert featured the Sue Ferris Quintet. That Shoe String Thing - Sue's debut album - would feature throughout a set of some forty five minutes. John Pope depping for Andy Champion, otherwise it was the usual line-up. 

© Ken Drew
The SF5 opened with a brace of Horace Sliver: The Jody Grind hitting a groove, Nica's Dream following on. The horns - Sue Ferris, tenor sax, Graham Hardy, trumpet - blew as we know they can, solos hitting the bull's eye. The rhythm section purred - Ben Lawrence at the Yamaha grand, JP handling the bass parts with consummate ease, John Bradford behind the traps. West Side Story never dates, One Hand, One Heart the selection.

Roy Hargrove wrote some great tunes, said bandleader Sue. Her ace quintet went out on one of them - Soppin' the Biscuit. 

Next week (Monday 4 November) there is something rather special to look forward to. Three stars of this weekend's sold out Classic Jazz Party will be in concert - Rico Tomasso (trumpet), Cia Tomasso (vocals) and Curtis Volp (guitar, banjo). £9.00. at the door, one o'clock start. 

Set list: The Jody Grind; Nica's Dream; Cavendish*; One Hand, One Heart; Soppin' the Biscuit.

* An increasingly familiar Ben Lawrence composition, still without a name. Today, Ben decided it should be called Cavendish. Next time - who knows? Russell
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