Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Geordie Jazz Jam @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Newcastle University jam session. All welcome.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

Fri 27: Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! A Blue Patch album tour.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Radio Hito + Eddie Prévost, Silvain Schmid & Tom Wheatley @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.22., £10.10., £8.00.
Fri 27: Giacomo Smith w Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

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, July 26, 2025

Bold Big Band @ The Old Coal Yard - July 25

Jacob Lightfoot, Max Storey (alto saxes); Crissi Booth, Lucy McCartan (tenor saxes); Brian Wicks (baritone sax, MD); Billy Bradshaw, Sam Armstrong, Josh Skyrme, Euan O'Connell (trumpets); Alex Utting, Tom Dowling, Thomas McDonald, Simon Hirst (trombones); Ben Davies (guitar); Marcus Dawe (keys); Ifede Osiyemi (bass guitar); Josh Weir (drums); Cara Britton, Conor Polley (vocals).

As part of the Newcastle Fringe Festival 2025 The Bold Big Band further enhanced their growing reputation with a one hour set of contemporary classics, mainly Beatles, cleverly arranged for big band.

I opted for a seat which seemed to offer both comfort (ish) and a good view of the band. This was fine until the masses descended and les tout ensemble became hidden behind a wall of gyrating hindquarters. This wasn't an entirely bad experience but not as good as seeing, as well as hearing, an ace big band in full flight.

The brass section, and the trumpets in particular, were (literally) at the top of their game. Billy Bradshaw rattling the roof tops on Blackbyrd and others. Euan and Sam also put their cards on the table. Euan with Black Hole Sun and Sam on Blues Für Elise. 

From my (disad)vantage point identifying the sax soloists wasn't easy although Jacob Lightfoot seemed to have cornered the market in alto solos. His gutsy playing on Super Mario Bros and Norwegian Wood being outstanding.

However, the star of the night was undoubtedly Cara Britton. I'd heard Cara at a previous gig and saw the potential. Last night that potential went a long way to being fulfilled. A wide range and the ability to inject a jazz feel into some unlikely material without damaging either side of the coin are just some of her attributes. Watch this space.

MD Wicks' bumper fun book wasn't brought into play or, if it was, the punchlines were lost by the time they'd filtered through the crowd. It didn't matter, as Ronnie Scott used to say, "you're not here to enjoy yourselves" although, paradoxically, that's just what we were doing! Who couldn't enjoy themselves listening to a big band with great arrangements, excellent musicians and a couple of super singers? Lance

Super Mario Bros; Norwegian Wood; Blackbird; Black Hole Sun; Toccata and Fudge; Blues Für Elise; Sir Duke (v); Smells Like Teen Spirit (v); The Thrill Is Gone (v); Should I Stay or Should I Go (v); Crazy Little Thing Called Love (v); Black & Gold (v); Love on Top (v); Hey Jude (encore) 

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