Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Geordie Jazz Jam @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Newcastle University jam session. All welcome.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

Fri 27: Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! A Blue Patch album tour.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Radio Hito + Eddie Prévost, Silvain Schmid & Tom Wheatley @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.22., £10.10., £8.00.
Fri 27: Giacomo Smith w Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

Sat 28: Boys of Brass @ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R&B Allstars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Free.

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

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Press release: Alison Rayner Quintet (ARQ) @ the Globe this Sunday (March 16)

© Ken Drew
Led by bassist and composer Alison Rayner, multi award-winning quintet ARQ are widely celebrated from 10 years of extensive UK and European touring across a complete range of jazz clubs, concert halls and international festivals as well as being critically acclaimed for their three album releases August (2014) , A Magic Life (2016) and Short Stories (2019). All have garnered extensive press acclaim and international radio play, with Rayner also winning a coveted Ivor Novello Composer Award for There is a Crack in Everything from Short Stories.

This year, ARQ celebrates 10 years of contributing to the cultural jazz landscape with their fourth album of collaborative, newly composed and original music SEMA4*, recorded live in summer 2024.

 

Richly nuanced compositions, rhythmic interplay and folk-infused melodies, ARQ play ‘songs without words’ carrying a strong sense of narrative and cinematic quality. The group are lauded for their vibrant, communicative performances and the newly-recorded material on SEMA4 is as engaging, imaginative and groovy as ever.

 

ARQ are:

Alison Rayner (bass); Buster Birch (drums); Deirdre Cartwright (guitar); Diane McLoughlin (tenor/soprano sax); Steve Lodder (piano).

 

PRESS
“Bright, open jazz music that rejoices in human experience without sentimentalising it” ★★★★ BBC Music Magazine.


“Memories brought to life” ★★★★ The Observer.


“Tells its tales through strong melodies, sinewy rhythms and luminous solos, by turns tender and exuberant” ★★★★ All About Jazz.


“ARQ have come up with another impeccable album” ★★★★½ thejazzmann.com.


“Vibrant and melodic originals from this closely integrated outfit” Jazz Journal – review of 2024 Scarborough Jazz Festival.


“Rayner’s a traveller, on land and in the mind, and her distinctive, quirky but always groovy compositions somehow lend themselves to live-performance enhancement without the band’s concentrated energy ever dissipating” Nigel Jarrett – Abergavenny Jazz Festival.


*ARQ’s latest album: SEMA4 was also reviewed on BSH (just mentioning…)

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