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

18621 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 485 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 14) 37

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

Sat 20: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer Festival, Corbridge. 5:00-6:00pm.
Sat 20: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 20: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Trinity Church, Gosforth, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. NCRO w. guests Dean Stockdale & Nick Ward.

Sun 21: From Lagos to Longbenton: Unity in the Community @ Sunderland Minster. From 1:30pm. Free. A multi-bill Unity in the Community event, inc. From Lagos to Longbenton.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio w. Graham Hardy.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 22: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 23: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 25: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 25: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Forgotten Ones & Any Quintets.
Thu 25: Edgar Ho Trio @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Brilliant alto sax, piano & double bass trio. Unmissable!
Thu 25: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 26: Finn-Keeble Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9:00.
Fri 26: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 26: Clark Tracey @ Live Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Newcastle Jazz Festival. £26.00. Day 1/2.

Monday, July 21, 2025

Greg Abate @ the Moor Club, Stockport - July 20

© Jeff Pritchard
Greg Abate (alto sax/flute); Paul Hartley (guitar); Ken Marley (bass); Phil Bennett (drums)

Having seen Greg playing many times  over the years during his tours of the UK I should know by now to   expect a night of brilliant bebop but even I was astounded at  how great this gig turned out to be.

He has many loyal fans in the North West and they were out in force to witness what could very well be the Moor Club's best Jazz Sunday night ever. There were at least two audience members who were actually two years older than myself but they looked younger.  The second number that Greg played in the first set was a request in honour of one of these 89 year olds, Benny Golson's Killer Joe.


There were so many highspots to follow I cannot think of enough words of praise to describe them all.One thing that did puzzle me was how Greg managed to  squeeze twelve tunes into a 2 hour playing spot  An amazing feat I thought! As you can see from the set list Charlie Parker was well represented. 

Next Sunday, July 27, Neil Yates and Bim Williams are at the Moor Club. Mike Farmer

Ornithology; Killer Joe; My Little Suede Shoes; When Sunny Gets Blue; Bebop; Bernie's Tune; On Green Dolphin Street; Contemplation;  Cherokee; KC Blues; Red Cross; That's All.

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3 comments :

Patti said...

Sounds like a real blast! Greg played two wonderful gigs here in the north east on Friday, with three of the region's jazz stars alongside - Dean Stockdale on piano, Mick Shoulder bass, and Abbie Finn on drums. Newcastle's Lit & Phil's famed monthly jazz session then Darlington's Opus Four Jazz Club in the evening!

Tuesday, July 22, 2025 7:10:00 PM
Mike Farmer said...

I made an error when I said Bim Williams will be with Neil Yates at the Moor Club on July 27 .Should be the BYRO quartet with Neil Yates. For more info follow Stockport Jazz on facebook


Thursday, July 24, 2025 11:18:00 PM
Lance said...

See Wednesday's post: Stockport Jazz -- News.

Friday, July 25, 2025 1:53:00 AM

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