Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Geordie Jazz Jam @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Newcastle University jam session. All welcome.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

Fri 27: Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! A Blue Patch album tour.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Radio Hito + Eddie Prévost, Silvain Schmid & Tom Wheatley @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.22., £10.10., £8.00.
Fri 27: Giacomo Smith w Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

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

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

The Classic Jazz Party: Sunday evening jam session @ the Village Hotel, North Tyneside - Nov. 3

No time to sleep, the third and final jam session at this year's Classic Jazz Party was about to get underway.

Gone way past eleven o'clock, trumpeter Torstein Kubban assembled the troops and off they went, blowing into the early hours. 

The house band - Kubban, Graham Hughes (trombone), Jean-François Bonnel (reeds), Morten Gunnar Larsen (piano), Martin Wheatley (banjo, guitar), Harry Evans (tuba, string bass), Nicholas D. Ball (drums) - could have played all night, so good are these guys. However, this being a jam session, more than a few hopefuls were looking to get the call. 

During the course of the next couple of hours or so familiar faces and some not so familiar faces queued up to join in the fun. 

From NYC Mike Davis (trumpet) and Ana Quintana (vocals), from Chicago, Mia Elliott (vocals) duetting with Michael 'Swanny' Laing (vocals), London resident Aussie (and CJP MD) Michael  McQuaid (clarinet), the versatile Harry Evans (trumpet), from South America, pianist Lucas Ferrari, the man from Bix's home town, Josh Duffee (featuring alongside Nick Ball in a showstopping percussion knockabout), local lad Alec Gamble playing banjo, and down from Scotland, singer Ali Affleck.

There were others, too many to mention, except for the man of the moment, the recipient of the 2024 Classic Jazz Party's Young Talent Award, Gavin Rice. Heard earlier across the weekend  in the concert hall playing Bobby Gillette's banjo, the irrepressible American first took a spell on string bass, later sousaphone. Multi-talented indeed is Mr Gavin Rice.

The 2024 edition of Mike Durham's International Classic Jazz Party sold out in record time. A large number of those attending the event have signed up for next year. You too can be there, but be quick, the CJP office is dealing with a mountain of ticket applications. The dates for your diary: Friday 31 Oct. - Sunday 2 November 2025 inclusive. www.whitleybayjazzfest.com. Russell       
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