Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

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

Sunday, December 01, 2024

It's December 2024 (it'll soon be Xmas!)

It's almost that time of year again. Almost, but not quite. Before the 'Big Day' there's lots more jazz to hear. Tinsel-decked highlights include the Sue Ferris Quintet (Opus 4 Jazz Club, Fri. 6), the NCRO, that's the New Century Ragtime Orchestra (Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club, lunchtime, Sat. 7) and Hot Club du Nord at St Cuthbert's Church, Shadforth (Sat. 7). And then there's the Zoë Gilby Quintet at Gateshead's Central Bar (afternoon, Sun. 8), the James Birkett Trio at Blaydon Jazz Club (Mon. 9, see photo) and at Auckland Castle (lunchtime, Fri. 13) it's the Dean Stockdale Trio.

And then it really is almost that time of year. If Paul Edis & Friends are in town and the Strictly Smokin' Big Band pitches up at Gosforth Civic Theatre, you'd better watch out, those seasonal songs will be all but unavoidable! Edis' A Jazzy Christmas can be heard at St Cuthbert's, Crook (Fri. 13), Gateshead's Glasshouse (Sun 15, afternoon & evening), Sunderland's Fire Station (Mon. 16) and Queen's Hall, Hexham (Tues. 17). Meanwhile, the SSBB take up residence at GCT on Fri 13 & Sat 14Lindsay Hannon gets in on the act with a matinee show at Central Bar, Gateshead (Sat. 14) - Oh, yes, she does! And the BBC Big Band with Emer McPartland promise/threaten more festive goodies at the Glasshouse, Gateshead (Tues. 17). There is more, much more, both before the 'Big Day' and afterwards, and on into 2025... Russell     

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