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, December 09, 2024

3 x 3 tonight!

© Roly Veitch
Tonight I'm spoilt for choice! Three trios to pick from. Two, tried and tested over course and distance, one, as yet, an unknown quantity - at least to me.

Mon 09: James Birkett Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00. Looks very tempting. How could it not be with James Birkett on board? When it comes to swinging guitar jazz be it á la Eddie Lang, Django Reinhardt, Jim Hall or Pat Metheny, James Birkett's your man. Tonight he'll be in the company of Jeremy McMurray on piano and Andy Champion on bass. Well worth gannin' along the Scotswood Road for.

Mon 09: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30-8:30pm. Free. Earlier, in Sunderland at the Engine Room, Michael Young (piano), Paul Grainger (bass) and Abbie Finn (drums) form a more conventional piano trio line-up although the actual material will probably be less conventional in the form of a jazzified contemporary popular song book set list which will, I am sure, go down well with the diners tucking in to the Christmas menu. 

Mon 09: Trio Grand @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. This is the unknown quantity and, as an investigative jazz blogger, it's where I'll be. Of the three members of Trio Grand - Georg Voros (drums/vocals), Paul Carter (bass guitar) and Barbara Wilcox (keys, vocals)* - Barbara Wilcox is the only one to have previously graced the pages of BSH. This she has done via some glowing reports of her vocal/keyboard prowess at the Ticket Office and other venues down at the coast.

Whichever gig you choose it looks like you'll be on a winner - keep music live. Lance

*Comparing photos of Barbara Wilcox as posted on BSH and the Globe website has me wondering if there are two Barbara Wilcoxs who sing and play piano in the locality? Tonight I shall find out!

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