Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Lest we forget ...

This is one End of  the Year listing that is always difficult to post. From a personal point of view, 2024 has been a  particularly difficult year for me.

Jazz people who left us in 2024:

Jan. 29: Dave Murphy - Legendary north east bass player.  

Jan. 30: Marlene Liddle - My dearly beloved wife and inspiration (see photo).   

Feb. 1: Gordon Marshall - Top north east lead trumpet player. 

May 6: Bill Holman - Top American arranger and saxophonist.    

May 22: Glenn Cartlidge - Outstanding north west guitarist.      

July 10: George Davidson - Drummer with Rendezvous Jazz. 

July 19: Brian Ebbatson - Huge supporter of north east jazz.

July 22: John Mayall - Legendary British blues legend.

Aug. 24: Ann Alexander (Ann Alex) - BSH reviewer and good friend.

Sept. 5: Martin France - British drummer and educator who died too young.

Sept. 7: Dan Morgenstein - American jazz critic, historian etc.

Sept. 8: Zoot Money - Legendary British blues legend.

Sept. 17: Tony Haynes - Leader of Grand Union Orchestra.

Sept. 21: Benny Golson - American tenor sax legend.

Sept. 27: John Cram - Local accordionist, organist & friend.

Oct. 2: Tommy Weatherley - North east trombonist.

Oct. 15: Malcolm Armstrong - Pianist with various north east bands.

Nov. 3: Quincy Jones - The iconic producer, arranger, composer etc.

Nov. 5: Roy Cansdale - Highly respected Cumbrian based bassist.

Nov. 9: Lou Donaldson - Funky American alto saxist.

Nov. 13: John Broddle - Popular local jazz singer.

Nov. 20: John Prescott - Jazz-loving former Labour MP.

Nov. 23: Alistair Robertson - Jazz fan and founder of Hep Records.

Dec. 12: Martial Solal - Legendary French pianist and composer.

Dec. 13: Derek Ansell - Jazz writer, novelist, critic.

Dec. 15: Zakir Hussain - Indo-jazz maestro.

Dec. 28: Barre Phillips - Legendary avant-garde bassist.

My apologies to the friends, fans and families of anyone I've overlooked - it wasn't intentional. Lance

2 comments :

Mike Farmer said...

Another who left us was Anthony Pinciotti New York drummer who played frequently at Smalls and Mezzrow. I heard someone talking about his passing during a podcast recently. This was confirmed by Spike Wilmer during his set at Mezzrow when he mentioned how devastated he was when he heard the news. Pinciotti was an important member of Spike’s trio. -Mike

Carstairs said...

A lot of lonely houses - personal and some I never met.

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