Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18918 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 782 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 18.) 61.

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.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Tue 22: ???

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A John Coltrane Centenary Concert (b. 23. 09. 1926). SOLD OUT!
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 24: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 24: Arun Ghosh @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £21.05. (£22.00. on the door). A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 24: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 25: Mark Williams Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Get the Blessing + Dilettante @ The Cluny (Cluny 2), Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00. + bf. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 25: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 26: Adam Fairhall & Johnny Hunter: Play Mary Lou Williams @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 26: John Pope Quintet + Urvashi @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.40. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Monday, June 16, 2025

Lewis Watson Quartet @ Queen's Hall, Hexham - June 15

Lewis Watson (tenor sax); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

Time to dig out that 'Gig of the Year' list. Not yet six months into the year, this afternoon's Lewis Watson Quartet performance at Queen's Hall, Hexham is a live contender. Since his return to gigging on something like a regular basis, tenor saxophonist Lewis Watson has reasserted his position as the tenor player on the scene. 

Opening with a/the brief Intro, Watson tore into Earth. Composed by Coltrane? Joe Henderson? AN Other heavyweight tenor saxophonist? No, the name of the composer...L. Watson. Big sound, secure technique, we were listening to tenor saxophone playing of the highest order. Alongside Watson, guitar maestro Mark Williams and bass supremo Andy Champion, both soloing to great effect, drummer John Bradford, as always, right on the money. 

The Road Ahead (a new Watson composition, one to hear again,) then a magical reading of Skylark. At its conclusion, Watson spoke of his admiration for the tune's composer, Hoagy Carmichael. You're unlikely to hear anything better than Lewis Watson's take on Hoagland Howard 'Hoagy' Carmichael's masterpiece, make that 'one of Carmichael's masterpieces' - Stardust, Georgia on My Mind; The Nearness of You, the list goes on.

John Coltrane? Yes, The Promise, Watson's huge sound, totally commanding. If Lewis Watson dropped by one of the Big Apple's many top flight jam sessions and called something, anything, by Coltrane, New York's finest would be left trailing in his wake. Wow! Not that this Sunday Jazz at Queen's Hall concert was a one man band, far from it. Williams and Champion are a match for the best of them, and John Bradford's keen awareness (a listening musician) of what was going down around him marks him out as a top class drummer (exemplary brush work). 

Guitarist Williams laid down a slow, slow, low down blues intro to Watson's The Necessary Blues. A great number, with all four musicians killing it. Sonny's Disposition upped the tempo before the Lewis Watson Quartet sent us on our way with the calming, contemplative Pray to Be. Gig of the Year? It's right up there.  Russell    

Set list: Intro; Earth; The Road Ahead; Skylark; Times Past; Song for Keith; The Promise; The Necessary Blues; Sonny's Disposition; Prayer to Be. 
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