Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18402 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 31 ), 76

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

April

Thu 02: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Musicians playing classical & orchestral music.
Thu 02: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 21s only.
Thu 02: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 02: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00. adv..
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). Free. Chicago blues.

Sat 04: Jake Leg Jug Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Anthropology. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £10.00.
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 Quintet + guest Neil Brodie (trumpet).
Sun 05: Mark Williams & Tom Remon @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Jazzmain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Zoë Gilby & Johnny Hunter @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

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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