Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 2025

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

18083 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1047 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 14), 61.

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. bf).

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

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham - May 23

© Malcolm Sinclair
Dean Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums)

The name Dean Stockdale is sufficient to ensure a sellout, as is the name Oscar Peterson. In the centenary year of the birth of the legendary Canadian pianist (15 August 1925), Darlington based Stockdale is touring his 'Celebrating Oscar' set. And here at Durham's Gala Theatre, sure enough, all seats were occupied. 

In recent times, Stockdale has appeared at venues up and down the land and further afield, including Belfast, Dublin, Paris and Brussels*. Here in Durham the Dean Stockdale Quartet opened with OP's Blues Etude. All four musicians are entirely comfortable with the material and the arrangements. 

Precision playing without sacrificing the vital component of swing, the unison lines between Stockdale and guitarist Tim  Williams were a joy to hear. Gavin Barras' melodicism is a precious commodity, perhaps the bassist should bottle it - and sell it! Drummer Gaz Hughes, playing the first of two engagements in the region today (later in the day Hughes' quartet would be headlining at Opus 4 Jazz Club in  Darlington), demonstrated that he is completely au fait with the charts and his innate sense of swing teased reassuring smiles from his bandmates. 

© Malcolm Sinclair
Noreen's Nocturne fairly rattled along, Leonard Bernstein's Tonight, thankfully sans the theatricality, worked well, and, in a well chosen set list, the Dean Stockdale Quartet went out with an expansive Wheatland, a reverential Hymn to Freedom, and a foot-tapping Night Train. If post-gig CD sales are anything to go by, the Gala's audience liked what it had been listening to. Copies of Stockdale's Celebrating Oscar album were snapped up, every single one of them.     
          
Set list: Blues Etude; Falling in Love with Love; Bossa Beguine; Noreen's Nocturne; Tonight; Wheatland; Hymn to Freedom; Night Train.

* The Dean Stockdale Quartet will be at Queen's Hall Hexham, Saturday 24 May (7:00pm) in the first of a double bill launching this year's Northumberland Jazz Festival: www.queenshall.co.uk. Russell  
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