Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18844 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 708 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 27) 77.

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

August

Sun 30: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Tango Jazz Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

September.

Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 03: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Feat. Ian Bosworth (guitar); Ron Hampton (guitar); Riche Emmerson (tenor sax); Dan Johnson (tenor sax, alto sax); Garry Hadfield (keyboards); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Mark Hawkins (drums).

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: FUNK: new musicians collective @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.00. Line-up inc. Chris Caygill & Daniel Chandler.
Fri 04: The Upside + Lagos to Longbenton @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00. Ska, funk, Afro-fusion & more.

Sat 05: Alligator Gumbo @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 05: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Hartlepool Art Gallery. 4:00-6:15pm. £6.00. Concert performance. Tickets available from the venue - tel: 01429 869706.
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Wednesday, July 02, 2025

Jammin' @ Newcastle Arts Centre - July 1

Joe Steels (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Mark Robertson (drums) + Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Chris Keegan (trumpet); Kate O'Neill (vocals); Shivan Ruddick (trumpet); Daniel Chandler (piano); Lara Hopper (trumpet); Joseph (guitar); Felix Parkin-Christie (drums); Joel Byrne-McCullough (guitar); Paul Ruddick (alto sax); David Gray (trombone); Abbie Finn (drums); Shayo Oshodi (vocals); Jimi Savage (guitar); Jamie Watkins (double bass); Robert Johnson (alto sax); Toby (vocals); Lisa (vocals); Edgar Bell (trumpet); Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet)

A mellow Stablemates opened the show, guitarist Joe Steels leading the way. An exploration of Body and Soul followed by a vibrant Anthropology, the house trio - Steels, MC Paul Grainger and Mark Robertson - could have played all night. However, faces old and new were massing in the wings.

Harry Keeble is neither old nor new. It wasn't so long ago HK burst onto the scene, now our tenor saxophonist is firmly in the ranks of 'A-listers'. Newcomer Chris joined HK on the stand to play A Train. Not yet out of school, Chris (trumpet) gave it his best shot, aiming for the bull's eye. Well, well, well, we've got another young talent on our hands!  

Talking of young talents...trumpeter Lara Hopper arrived, called Joy Spring and hit the bull's eye. Talking of young talents...pianist Daniel Chandler, a Black Swan debutant a matter of weeks ago, occupied the piano stool and boy, he sure can play! 

At one point during the evening MC Grainger found himself working alongside/surrounded by four seventeen somethings. This is what makes the Black Swan jam session! On a guitar-led (Joe Steels) jam session evening, it was just the thing that two other top notch six stringers chose to drop by. Long-time-no-see Joel Byrne-McCullough and Jimi Savage got up to do their thing, and do it they did. Two great players.

 And a young male vocalist, Toby, from down the coast, made his Black Swan bow singing My Funny Valentine. He'll be back, you can bet on it. It had been a varied bill of fayre, it's what makes the Black Swan jam session the success that it is. The next one - Tuesday 15th July - features a house trio comprising Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger and Bailey Rudd and, no doubt, a plethora of talent.   

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