Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18982 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 846 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 8.) 25.

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

October.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 4:45pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: NW FRQNC @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. Selina Albright, Gianni Vancini.
Wed 14: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 15: Leah Kirk: A Strange Affair @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Leah Kirk (vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 15: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. PJO w. guest Graham Hardy (trumpet).

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Ancient Infinity Orchestra @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 16: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01. adv.; £15.00. on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick. 8:00pm. Free.

Monday, September 22, 2025

James Borland Quartet @ Queen's Hall, Hexham - Sept. 21

James Borland (trumpet); Nick Manz (keyboards); Ben Love (double bass); Kai Chareunsy (drums) + Joe Steels (guitar)

Sunday Jazz at Queen's Hall is going great guns. Audience numbers are holding up, if not increasing, the concerts a mix of musicians based in the region or drawn from further afield, with this afternoon's guests sharing one thing in common - the 'Birmingham Connection'. 

All four musicians, make that five with the inclusion of Sunday Jazz promoter Joe Steels, studied - and in some cases met - at Birmingham Conservatoire. Three of the quartet are currently based in London, drummer Kai Chareunsy opting to remain in 'Brum'. Across the course of two sets the audience listened to several of bandleader James Borland's compositions alongside a couple of standards. 

New Day, followed by Same Sky were from trumpeter Borland's live album Looking Backwards, Moving Forwards, recorded live at Birmingham's 1000 Trades venue. Borland, in possession of a fearless, cast iron technique, stood out front, very much the bandleader. It was immediately apparent 'old school' paper charts were nowhere to be seen, similarly, iPads were conspicuous by their absence. How could these guys play Borland's tunes, plus a couple of standards, without having to read the dots? More than impressive! 

Pianist Nick Manz we knew about (a 2022 BBC Young Musician of the Year finalist) and drummer Kai Chareunsy had been 'up north' just a few short years ago with Francis Tulip. That left Borland and bassist Ben Love as the unknown quantities. Two or three numbers into the first set, that was more than enough to know these guys could play! And the fifth member of the quartet, if you will, Joe Steels, we knew could play (twenty four hours earlier Steels tore it up at the Newcastle Jazz Festival), Borland inviting Steels to join the quartet on a couple of numbers - again, no charts, no iPads. Marvellous. 

Duke's Dream (Borland's contrafact of It Don't Mean a Thing), Monk's Ask Me Now, yes, these guys could play alright. Four fine musicians playing some great stuff, as the title of James Borland's album suggests, they were Looking Backwards, Moving Forwards.  Russell           

Set list: New Day; Same Sky; Pride; Every Time We Say Goodbye; Duke's Dream; Everything I Love; Dawn; Ask Me Now; Desire; Home.  
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