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

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 Kevin Eland (trumpet).
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.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tuesday, January 07, 2025

Press release: Copasetic Foundation's new year programme

The Copasetic year gets off to a furious start with gigs at the new east London jazz venue, Soul Mama, and a new project debuting at Brasserie Toulouse Lautrec – It Takes Two: Lulu Pierre and Marvin Muoneké revisit the great jazz duets (31st Jan).

Ineza’s debut album continues to earn great reviews (‘Immensely enjoyable … scores highly for its immaculately chosen song list’ – Jazzwise, December) and in February Ineza and the trio return to Hampsted Jazz Club, where they played their first gig in 2022.

In the meantime there are plenty of other live gigs – see below - and if you need more information, photos, or if you would like review tickets for any of them, please contact alewebb@gmail.com

Sunday 12th January 2025

Soul Mama, Gantry Hotel, 40 Celebration Ave, East Village, Stratford E20 1DB: Coltrane and Hartman on Impulse! feat. Denys Baptiste and Marvin Muoneke.  Revisiting the famous album when John Coltrane teamed up with vocalist Johnny Hartman to explore their favourite romantic standards, tenor sax boss Denys Baptiste is joined by the extraordinary vocalist Marvin Muoneke and a top-flight rhythm section of Gary Crosby (bass), Alex Webb (piano) and Noah Ojumu (drums).  For tickets & info: Denys Baptiste and Marvin Muoneke - Events - Universe

Friday 17th January 2025

Café POSK, 238-246 King Street, Hammersmith W6 0RF:  Lulu Pierre (‘Something new and exciting' - Jazz in Europe) celebrates Sarah Vaughan with Alex Webb & The Copasetics: Webb (piano), Hamish Moore (bass) and Dan Hester drums).  For tickets & info: LULU PIERRE AND THE COPASETICS: TRIBUTE TO SARAH VAUGHAN! - Jazz Cafe Posk London

Saturday 18th January 2025

Soul Mama, Gantry Hotel, 40 Celebration Ave, East Village, Stratford E20 1DB:  Ineza & ‘Women’s Words, Sisters’ Stories’ comes to Yolanda Brown’s new jazz venue in east London London with material from her acclaimed debut album (‘Immensely enjoyable … scores highly for its immaculately chosen song list’ - Jazzwise).  For tickets & info:  Ineza - Women’s Words, Sisters’ Stories - Events - Universe

Friday 24th January 2025

Brasserie Toulouse Lautrec, 140 Newington Butts, Kennington, London SE11 4RN: The Pocket Ellington, a seven-piece celebration of the Ellington repertoire with Alan Barnes (reeds), Tony Kofi (tenor), Andy Davies (trumpet), David Lalljee (trombone), Dave Green (bass) and Winston Clifford (drums).  As well as clever adaptations of Ellington classics by pianist / MD Alex Webb, the group also plays music from arranger/composers influenced by the Duke, including Mingus, Monk and Gil Evans.  For tickets & info: Jazz Club: Upcoming Main Events London - Toulouse Lautrec

Friday 31st January 2025

Brasserie Toulouse Lautrec, 140 Newington Butts, Kennington, London SE11 4RN: : It Takes Two: Lulu Pierre and Marvin Muoneké revisit the great jazz duets.  Sarah Vaughan & Billy Eckstine, Ella & Louis, Ray Charles & Betty Carter – jazz has a rich history of romantic and swinging duets.  Stellar vocalists Marvin Muoneké and Lulu Pierre have a magical chemistry together, and recreate some of the greatest of these duets with the Alex Webb Trio.  For tickets & info: Jazz Club: Upcoming Main Events London - Toulouse Lautrec

Thursday 13th February

Arts Depot, 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley, London N12 0GA:,  

Ineza & ‘Women’s Words, Sisters’ Stories’, performing material from their acclaimed debut album (distinct, remarkable and exciting’ – Cerys Matthews, BBC Radio 2) with Alex Webb (piano), Charlie Pyne (bass) and Katie Patterson (drums).  For tickets & info: Ineza & Women's Words, Sisters' Stories - artsdepot

Friday 21st February

Hampstead Jazz Club at The Duke of Hamilton, 23-25 New End, NW3 1JD: Ineza & ‘Women’s Words, Sisters’ Stories’, performing material from their acclaimed debut album (‘An absolutely delightful album’ – JazzViews.net) with Alex Webb (piano), Charlie Pyne (bass) and Katie Patterson (drums).  For tickets & info: Women’s Words, Sisters’ Stories with Ineza & the Alex Webb Trio - Hampstead Jazz Club

For more news about Copasetic productions and events go here:  https://copaseticfoundation.org/upcoming-events/

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