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

18844 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 708 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 27) 77.

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

September.

Thu 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 03: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Feat. Ian Bosworth (guitar); Ron Hampton (guitar); Riche Emmerson (tenor sax); Dan Johnson (tenor sax, alto sax); Garry Hadfield (keyboards); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Mark Hawkins (drums).

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: FUNK: new musicians collective @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.00. Line-up inc. Chris Caygill & Daniel Chandler.
Fri 04: The Upside + Lagos to Longbenton @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00. Ska, funk, Afro-fusion & more.

Sat 05: Alligator Gumbo @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 05: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Hartlepool Art Gallery. 4:00-6:15pm. £6.00. Concert performance. Tickets available from the venue - tel: 01429 869706.
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 06: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Ian Bosworth (guitar); Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Jeremy McMurray (keyboards); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Mark Hawkins (drums) & guest Mick Donnelly (tenor sax).
Sun 06: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Ropner Park, Stockton. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 06: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 06: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 06: Nils Kavanagh Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 07: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 08: Seijiro Murayama Jean Luc Guionnet @ Star & Shadow Cinema Co-op, Warwick St., Newcastle, NE2 1BB. 7.00pm. £10.00 (advance). £12.00 (on door). £.15.00 (solidarity).
Tue 08: SH#RP Collective @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 08: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club. 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Wed 09: NONUNONU @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE. Excellent trio.

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Lady Nade @ Middlesbrough Town Hall - June 8

Lady Nade (vocals); Sophie Stockham (tenor sax); Holly Carter (guitar); Ruth Hammond (piano); Chris Jones (double bass); Matt Brown (drums)

Middlesbrough Town Hall. Presenting Nina Simone's, at times, heavyweight material with a light touch, Lady Nade engaged an enthusiastic Sunday afternoon audience, an audience comprising an unusually high percentage of females.             
Based in Bristol, Lady Nade and her five piece band made the long journey north to Teesside to perform two sets of music by the renowned Nina Simone: Lady Nade sings Nina Simone: a Celebration of Her Legacy. Middlesbrough Town Hall's Court Room is a working court and a couple of numbers into her set Lady Nade threatened to have us 'taken down' if we didn't buy some 'merch'! 

Touring the length and breadth of the UK*, Lady Nade pays due respect to Eunice Kathleen Waymon (Nina Simone). Here on Albert Road, the presentation of Simone's many familiar/famous songs was wholly accessible. The afternoon was not so much about the life and times of the American musician and civil rights activist, no, the focus was on the music of Ms Simone.  

I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to Be Free to Ain't Got No - I Got Life to Love Me or Leave Me, the Bristolians hit the ground running. Pianist Ruth Hammond had it down, impressively so. From the off, bassist Chris Jones and drummer Matt Brown nailed it, impressively so. 

Work Song, Screamin' Jay Hawkins' I Put a Spell on You, My Baby Just Cares for Me - guitarist Holly Carter commendably restrained throughout the two sets, likewise tenor saxophonist Sophie Stockham, playing exactly what was required - and many more classic numbers hit the spot. Lady Nade can sing, that's for sure. A standing ovation spoke volumes.               

* Lady Nade appears at Gosforth Civic Hall on Friday 3 October. Book at: www.gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk. Russell
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