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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £29.00 (inc. bf). ‘Festive Lunch’. VCJ on stage 12 noon (three sets 'til 4:00pm).
Wed 17: Lazy River Band @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Veronica Perrin, Chris Perrin, John Farragher, Phil Rutherford
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Wed 17: A Jazzy Xmas @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ YOLO, Ponteland. 7:00pm. ‘Swing & Jazz Night’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 18: Joe Steels & Friends @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! .
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

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.

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

Thursday, July 31, 2025

An August preview


It's the calm before the storm. Relatively speaking, August is a quiet month on the gig front. Come September, gigs will be stacking up here, there and everywhere. August's schedule is bolstered by the region's many weekly and monthly residencies which see no reason to shut up shop - good for them!

On the first of the month (Friday), Yorkshire-born, London-resident, saxophonist Matt Anderson returns to the region to play a Matt Anderson and Friends engagement at Saltburn Community Hall. It's a seven thirty start, tickets available online or pay at the door. Saltburn, Monday 4th sees the Saltburn Big Band opening up its Saltburn House Hotel rehearsal night to the public. Free admission, seven o'clock start.

Bishop Auckland Jazz presents the John Settle Quartet at its new home on Cockton Hill Road on Friday 8th. It's a one o'clock start, £8.00. at the door (that's the door to Bishop Auckland Methodist Church). Recommended. On Sunday 10th there's a 'two-gigs-in-a-day' option. Pilgrim (formerly Hoochie Coochie) on Pilgrim Street, Newcastle presents the Paul Skerritt Big Band. Doors at 4:00pm, with Mr Skerritt hitting the stage at 5:15pm. Down the road on Railway Street at Newcastle Jazz Co-op, guitarist Joe Steels will be on stage at 8:00pm. From Pilgrim Street take the bus/your helicopter and/or run and you'll be at the Globe in no time!

Pianist Rick Laughlin plays a trio gig (Dan Johnson and Stuie Ellerton) at Darlington's Vault on Thursday 14th. It's a seven o'clock start. £10.00. admission. The following day, Friday 15th (1:00pm), the Dean Stockdale Quartet returns to Newcastle's Lit & Phil to salute Oscar Peterson. Pianist Dean will be playing music by the great Oscar Peterson, born this day, exactly one hundred years ago (15.8.1925). Dean's quartet features the brilliant Tim Williams (guitar), the equally brilliant Gavin Barras (double bass) and, depping on drums, none other than Russ Morgan! The concert sold out several months ago. To enquire about returns, call 0191 232 0192.

Blaydon Jazz Club's August concert (Monday 18th) features Swing Manouche. Formed and led by Mick Shoulder to play the music of late-period Django Reinhardt, why not join Mick (guitar), Dave Smith (rhythm guitar), Paul Grainger (string bass) and, on clarinet, the marvel that is Martin Winning, for an evening of all things 'Django'? The Black Bull on Bridge Street is likely to be busy. Arrive in good time for an eight o'clock start. It's a tenner at the door. 

Sunday 24th is another double header. Trumpeter Chris Coull can be found at Queen's HallHexham at 3:00pm and later in the day at Jazz Co-op HQ on Railway Street, Newcastle at 8:00pm. Two gigs, why not go to both?!

At the end of the month singer Nel Begley makes not one, not two, not three, but four appearances in the BSH region. That's three concerts and one workshop. First up, Nel leads a Jazz Vocal Choir workshop at Hexham Community Centre on Gilesgate (1:00-5:00pm). To sign up to the Core Music event, go to www.ticcketsource.co.uk. At the same time, same venue, Paul Edis leads a World Premiere in an Afternoon workshop. In the evening, Nel, Paul and Luke Fowler will be at Newcastle Arts Centre (7:30pm). The next day (Friday 29th), the trio will be at the Gala in Durham (1:00pm). To enquire about returns, call 03000 266 600. And on Friday evening, it's all back to Hexham Community Centre for the third of three concert performances (7:30pm).

Finally, on the last day of the month (Sunday 31st), Newcastle Jazz Co-op presents drummer John Hirst's new quartet. Not just any old quartet, mind you. John's Blue Pearl quartet features Luis Verde (alto sax), Joe Steels (guitar) and John Pope (bass). Their focus will be upon Bud Powell, specifically the bop-era pianist's music and his lasting influence on successive generations of jazz musicians, John Hirst included. The word 'unmissable' springs to mind. Russell 

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