Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18767 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 631 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 31) 95.

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

August

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 06: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guest Zoë Gilby.
Thu 06: 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 06: Bridget Metcalfe Sextet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 08: Mr Wilson’s Second Liners @ NOVUM Festival, Newcastle. Free. Three performances: Grey St. 11:30am; Northumberland St. 2:30pm; Great North Museum 4:45pm.
Sat 08: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ FIKA Gallery, Morpeth. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £20.00.; £40.00. to inc. glass of fizz & food options.

Sun 09: Sticky Lips @ NOVUM Festival, Newcastle. Free. Various city centre locations/times.
Sun 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Ropner Park, Stockton. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: The Gambling Janes @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 10: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.Free.

Tue 11: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Jam session @ The tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 12: Look Left @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

The Prohibition Bar to close on July 31.

When Keith Crombie died in 2012, and with him the Jazz Café, it left a huge hole in the Newcastle jazz scene and in a lot of hearts. However, three years later the venue was reborn when Mitch reopened the premises as the Prohibition Bar and Pink Lane once again became part of the city's music scene. Not always jazz but it was never far away.

The Prohibition Bar may not have had the idiosyncrasies of 'the caff' (or its late custodian) but it was certainly a more hygenic setting and you didn't leave scratching places you'd never scratched before. This time around it was only the music that was jumpin!

Sadly, despite the past ten years of its existence and the many excellent bands and artists who have graced the miniscule stage, rising costs and overheads have made the future unsustainable and, as of July 31, the Prohibition Bar will close its doors for the final time and that emptiness will once more have returned.

Best wishes for the future to Mitch and his team. Lance

1 comment :

NeilC said...

A very sad day indeed lots of great acts have graced the venue with a wide variety of music . It's people like Merlin Roxby I feel for because it was a place he had a chance to show off his musicality, where will he be able to play in the future? That said unfortunately this will become all too common as these smaller venues are unable to cope with the rises in the costs to run them which is very, very sad. My best wishes to Mitch and the team for the future.

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