Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Northern Edge Coffee, Silver St., Berwick. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Wednesday, October 02, 2024

The Black Swan jam session - Oct. 1

Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums) + Paul Ruddick (alto sax); Shivan Ruddick (trumpet); Joe ? (drums); Lara Hopper (trumpet); Olly Styles (tenor sax); Jack ? (drums); Jamie Watkins (double bass); Ian Drever (vocals); Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet); Darius ? (vocals); Paul Gowland (alto sax, piano); Owen Jones (double bass); Lisa ? (vocals); Edgar Bell (trumpet); Josh ? (piano); Robert Johnson (alto sax); Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Moyo ? (guitar); Roger ? (vocals)

Newcastle at St James' Park*, Sunderland at the Stadium of Light**, Tyne and Wear's Metro network would be busy. The ongoing works on the Tyne Bridge wouldn't help matters, parking spaces at a premium. Attendance at the Black Swan jam session could take a hit.

At the down beat (half past seven) the room wasn't as full as usual. Take That (!), Chic Corea and Jerome Kern for starters. The trio nicely warmed up (Messrs. Young, Grainger and White), the floor was open to...the Ruddicks, Paul (alto sax) and Shivan (trumpet), Paul Gowland (alto sax), all doing the business.

Trumpeter Lara Hopper and tenor saxophonist Olly Styles impressed playing Someday My Prince Will Come and again on A Night in Tunisia. Jamie Watkins stepped in for a while, enabling MC Grainger to network. Ian Drever sang about A Foggy Day, Esther Coombes (clarinet, alto sax) joined the party alongside newcomer, Darius. Vocalist Lisa sang A Nightingale Sang (trumpeter Edgar Bell making another inimitable contribution), Josh played piano, as did Mr P. Gowland, things were moving along nicely.

Robert Johnson, previously heard on tenor, this evening brought along an alto sax. Good stuff. Fully half an hour before the close, seemingly all of those sitting-in were massing. We were in for a lengthy finale which included Roy Hargrove's Strasbourg/St Denis. The next Black Swan jam session is set for Tuesday 15 October. 
           
* FT 1-0 (Chelsea in the fourth round)
** FT 2-0  (top of the Championship!) 
Russell
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