Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18482 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 346 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 30 ) 80

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

May

Sun 03: Chilcott Jazz Mass @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 9:30am. Free. Sung communion with Parish Choir (featuring Bob Chilcott’s music). A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 03: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Mark Toomey (alto sax).
Sun 03: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: Tom Waits for No Man @ Oxygenic, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm (2:30pm doors). Neckties and Boxing Gloves album launch. £14.00 (gig & a CD); £8.00 (gig only). SOLD OUT!
Sun 03: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 03: John Pope & John Garner @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.

Mon 04: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Pete Tanton’s Cuban Heels @ The Library, South Parade, Whitley Bay. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 05: Leah Kirk (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 2:30pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jenny Baker (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 4:20pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 07: Robert Finley @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50. Excellent US falsetto soul/blues voice.
Thu 07: ALT @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Rob Walker. Thu 07: Liam & Shayo @ The Globe , Newcastle. 8:00pm. £5.00. Liam Oliver (guitar), Shayo Oshodi (vocals).
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 08: Alan Law Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Law, Mick Shoulder, John Bradford.
Fri 08: Giles Strong & Richard Herdman @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Guitar duo.
Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 6:00pm . Free. A Late Shows event.
Fri 08: Nigel Kennedy @ The Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Line-up inc. Alec Dankworth.

Sat 09: SH#RP Collective w. Lindsay Hannon @ Church of Holy Name, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00 (inc. a welcome drink). Advance booking essential. Bring own snacks, drinks to be purchased at ‘donations’ bar. All proceeds to charity. A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sat 09: East Coast Swing Band @ Jubilee Hall, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £10.00.

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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