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

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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.

Sunday, August 10, 2025

Paul Skerritt Big Band @ Pilgrim - August 10

Paul Skerritt (vocals); Tom Rushton, Benny Coxon, Sara James, Sam Armstrong (trumpets); Chris Gray, Chris Kurgi-Smith, Ben Haslam, Alex Utting (trombones); Dan Johnson, Jamie Toms, Sue Ferris, Alan Marshall, Niall Armstrong (reeds); Jeremy McMurray (keys); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (bass guitar); John Bradford (drums); Stuart McLean Fowler (M.D.)

Pilgrim was jumpin'. Even before the debonaire Paul Skerritt launched his respectful tributes to Sinatra, Bennett, Darin, Dean and others, the 17 piece ensemble under the virtual baton of M.D. Stuart Fowler had got the room primed for the entrance of Mr. P.S. with a swinger of a ring-a-ding-dinger Basie style number with a tasty tenor solo from Sue Ferris of whom more would be heard later.

Then it was time for the star of the show to deliver a tried and tested programme of the very best songs from the GASbook and beyond. His perfect pitching and suave interpretation of Just Say Hello; Fly me to the Moon and I've Got You Under my Skin with Kurgi-Smith recreating the famous Milt Bernhart break on the iconic Sinatra version of the latter tune had those who'd made the pilgrimage to Pilgrim more than pleased with the performance with more, much more, to follow.

This came in the form of Georgia on my Mind; The Lady is a Tramp; Hard Hearted Hannah; Goody Goody; Me and Mrs Jones; Come Fly With me and I Left my Heart in San Francisco which brought the first set to a close.

Nobody left! The general consensus was an excellent singer and a band swinging like a band ought to swing with a trumpet section that raised the roof a couple of stories higher.

However, it wasn't trumpets that took centre stage on the instrumental number that kicked off the second set. The plaudits on this one were shared by the duelling tenors of Sue Ferris and Alan Marshall. They slugged it out note for note, bar for bar with no 'musical' holds barred. The jury's still out as to who got the decision but the overall winner was the audience.

Skerritt knew he had to follow that big time and he did just that with more showstoppers that didn't stop the dancers from strutting their stuff.

Beyond the Sea; Ain't That a Kick in the Head; Eye of the Tiger; Could it be Magic;  American Boy; The More I See You; Mack the Knife; Mr Brightside; American Beauty Rose; Sway; Minnie the Moocher; Can't Take my Eyes off You and That's Life brought a great gig to a close.

Don't miss the Paul Skerritt Big Band next time round - watch this space. Lance

PS: Apologies for accidental, premature posting of initial review - I hit the wrong button!
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