Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

June

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: 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 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Kevin Eland (trumpet).
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

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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