Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (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

18532 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 396 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 15) 50

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

Sat 16: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. God Bless the Child - Lady Day!. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 16: Kaberry Big Band @ the Seahorse Pub, Hillheads Rd., Whitley Bay NE23 8HR. From 7:30pm. £15.00
Sat 16: Lady Nade @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. ‘Lady Nade sings Nina Simone’.

Sun 17: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Forum Theatre, Billingham. 7:30pm.
Sun 17: QOW Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Spike Wells, Riley Stone-Lonergan & Eddie Myer.

Mon 18: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 18: Mark Williams Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 19: GoGo Penguin + Daudi Matsiko @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £22.00 + £4.40 bf.
Tue 19: Danny Lowndes’ Hot Club @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £5.00 bf.
Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Mark Robertson (drums).

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Jordan Jackson @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.80 (inc. bf); £15.40 (inc. bf).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Jazz Classics with Rivkala @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Rivkala (vocals); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 21: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 22: Paul Skerritt @ Market Place, Durham. From 12 noon. Free. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Fri 22: Paul Edis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00. Edis, Andy Champion, Steve Hanley.
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 22: Paul Edis Trio @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £TBC. Edis, Andy Champion, Steve Hanley.

Sunday, November 10, 2024

EFG London Jazz Festival 2024 - Concert reviews wanted.

This year's EFG London Jazz Festival is almost upon us and, for the first time in BSH's 17 years, we don't have anyone eagerly awaiting with notebook and pencil, or the digital equivalent, at the ready to review some of the shows.
 
This is unfortunate as the EFG is the Uk's biggest jazz festival running from Friday Nov. 15 to Sunday Nov. 24 with a whole host of concerts spread over various venues across London. So, if you are planning to attend one or more concerts and would like to submit a review please contact me: lanceliddle@gmail.com. Lance

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

I think this is interesting Lance that you have put this call out.

There is a wider point which I think marketing folk need to address.

Journalists who review gigs and so on are just seen by some as people to provide free plugs and big ups for artists and labels and so help boost gigs and recordings.

If someone thinks you are ''a marketing tool'' - which some people say and believe - then it tells a lot.

But the problem is that for a well meaning music journalist who writes well, knows their onions and so on and most are and do, putting in the time, covering their own costs (often quite a bit even when gig tickets are given to them free sometimes) and not getting paid by the publications because the publications can't afford to pay them the enthusiasm runs out after a while. Simply people can't afford to subside an event by doing something for nothing that is providing their skills and their time. It's not even a loss leader because they never will get anything back in the future by showing willing even. Unless something changes.

So the solution I think as a music fan and appreciator of journalism is that labels and organisations (I mean anyone with a budget to market product) need to support great blogs like yours so you can invest more in it yourself.

No one advertises much on blogs where there is decent content however and often pretty big readerships.

But the likes of major record companies spend lots on social media, employing people to be PRs, etc, etc.

By if they choose investing in journalism (indirectly by taking ads or sponsoring advertorials) will benefit them in the end more.

Readers trust independent editorial voices far more than sponsored and often costly some companies take out on Facebook.

Lots of food for thought and thanks for all you do.

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