Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 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

19,061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 925 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 30) 104.

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

October.

Sat 31: Saltburn Big Band + Durham Alumni Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Sat 31: East Coast Swing Band @ Cramlington Village Club, Park View, Cramlington NE23 6QJ. 7:30pm. £10.00. (from venue).

November

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Donna Hewitt (tenor sax, clarinet)
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Sarah Heneghan Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 03: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. guest tba
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.
Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: An Evening of Erykah Badu @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hejira - Celebrating Joni Mitchell @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Cut Capers @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).
Thu 05: Northern Reaches @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Pete Tanton, Joe Steels, Laurence Blackadder, John Hirst.
Thu 05: Fergus McCreadie @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Fri 06: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 1/3.
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: Jazz Night: Bridget Metcalfe @ Saltburn House Hotel. From 6:00pm. Tickets: £40.00 (inc. a two-course meal & glass of Prosecco). Tel: 01287 658977.

Wednesday, December 04, 2024

The Black Swan's Traffic Jam jam session - Dec. 3

Dean Stockdale (piano); Joe Steels (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); John Hirst (drums) + Luis Verde (alto sax); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Kate O'Neill (vocals), David Gray (trombone); Abbie Finn (drums); Shivan Ruddick (trumpet); John Rowland (tenor sax); Paul Gowland (alto sax); Shayo (vocals); Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet); Liam Oliver (guitar); Bailey Rudd (drums); Paul Ruddick (alto sax); Ian Drever (vocals); Theo Nolan (vocals) 

A four-vehicle accident necessitating the closure of the Redheugh Bridge and ongoing renovation works on the Tyne Bridge (access currently restricted to one lane in either direction) wreaked havoc either side of the Tyne. The Black Swan jam session didn't escape the chaotic situation: MC Paul Grainger's journey took twice as long as usual and house pianist Dean Stockdale, travelling north from County Durham, found himself in a long tailback of traffic. At one point it looked as though we were in for a John Hirst drum masterclass...

Fortunately, minutes past the seven thirty down beat, Messrs Grainger and Stockdale arrived and in no time the house quartet - yes, quartet, in the event of pianist Stockdale's temporary absence, Joe Steels was on hand to supply all the chords - made up for lost time with a sparkling take on It Could Happen to You. Two or three numbers in, the thought occurred that it would be great if the Black Swan's budget could stretch to accommodating a house quartet. If only!

One or more of the region's big hitters were in the house. Two of them - Luis Verde and Harry Keeble - were the first to be pressed into action. Alto sax and tenor sax respectively, these guys are the business! Yes or No. Wow! Wayne Shorter's composition was given a thorough workout, we were listening to two killing saxophonists in full flight.

Vocalist Kate O'Neill, accompanied by a restrained David Gray (trombone), singing Honeysuckle Rose and The Very Thought of You went down well with the on-side audience. John Rowland (tenor sax) and Paul Gowland (alto sax) chose to play There is No Greater Love, with altoist Gowland taking a look at Darn That Dream. The full house (many new faces) liked what it was hearing. 

The sitters-in came thick and fast: the brilliant Abbie Finn (drums), young trumpeter Shivan Ruddick giving it his best shot on one or two seemingly unfamiliar charts, Esther Coombes alternating between alto sax and clarinet, Liam Oliver sporting his new Telecaster, Bailey Rudd taking a spell behind the traps, Shayo singing Corcovado, Paul Ruddick blowing some excellent alto, it had been a good night here at the Black Swan. The next one (the last one of the year) is set for Tuesday 17 December. 7:30pm start, free admission, don't forget your Santa hat. Russell
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