Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18317 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 171 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 23), 71

From This Moment On ...

February

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Geordie Jazz Jam @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Newcastle University jam session. All welcome.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

Fri 27: Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! A Blue Patch album tour.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Radio Hito + Eddie Prévost, Silvain Schmid & Tom Wheatley @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.22., £10.10., £8.00.
Fri 27: Giacomo Smith w Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

Sat 28: Boys of Brass @ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R&B Allstars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Free.

March

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free Quintet + guest Dan Johnson (tenor sax).
Sun 01: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Fergus McCreadie & Matt Carmichael @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 3:00-4:30pm.
Sun 01: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Littlewood Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00., £8.00. adv., £6.00. 25 & under. Marcus Dawe (piano); Ifedi Osiyemi (bass); Jack Littlewood (drums).

Mon 02: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

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

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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