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).

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Springtime at the Black Swan - March 18

Laurence Harrison (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums) + Kate O'Niell (vocals); Paul Ruddick (alto sax); Robert Johnson (alto sax); Martin Waugh (piano); Jen Foster  (vocals); Owen Jones (double bass); Shayo Oshodi (vocals); Shivan Ruddick (trumpet); Leah Kirk (vocals); Alec Gamble (guitar); ? (percussion); Liam Oliver (guitar); David Gray (trombone); Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet); Ian Drever (vocals); Paul Skerritt (vocals); Jamie Watkins (double bass); Katrina Miller (vocals); Ruth Lambert (vocals) 

Spring is just around the corner. The Black Swan jam session continues to attract the regulars (sitting at their usual tables) and many new faces - where do they all come from? A questionnaire/survey is called for! The house trio usually comprises piano, bass and drums. This evening it was guitar, bass and drums. 

Guitarist Laurence Harrison opened with Days of Wine and Roses, Paul Grainger, bass, to his left, Tim Johnston, drums, to jam session MC Grainger's left. As guitarists go, Laurence can hold his own with any six-stringer, quite simply, a fabulous musician. Solar radiated across the room, the trio nicely warmed up. From here on in it was the usual revolving door with the many sitters-in hoping to catch MC Grainger's eye.

Front row, Kate O'Niell stepped forward two paces to sing a couple of numbers before the horn players took centre stage. Alto saxophonists Paul Ruddick and the up-and-coming Robert Johnson dovetailed nicely, PR the old hand, RJ learning on the spot - great stuff! Border raider Martin Waugh sat at the piano to play a couple of numbers. Our visiting Scot thought that was that. MC Grainger had other ideas, asking Martin to stay where he was and that's precisely what he did, a most welcome ad hoc member of the house band. 

Vocalists Jen Foster (My Favorite Things), Leah Kirk (Blues Skies) and Katrina Miller (No Moon at All) impressed, latecomers Esther Coombes (reeds) and David Gray (trombone) leapt into action - Esther laid back, David all-action. Guitarist Liam Oliver picked up Laurence Harrison's Gibson, making himself at home. And then the big hitters made their pitch - Paul Skerritt (bassist Jamie Watkins alongside) singing It Don't Mean a Thing, Ruth Lambert the tops, West Coast Blues the tune. 

The now traditional 'all-left-standing' finale wrapped things up, the Black Swan jam session wouldn't be the same without it. The next session is on Tuesday April 1. You'd be a fool to miss it.              
   
A 'big up' to Tim Johnston, house drummer for the whole session without a break. Russell
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