Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
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.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

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 01, 2025

Sunday night @ the Globe: Alexia Gardner Trio - August 31

© Sheila Herrick
Alexia Gardner (vocals); Alan Law (piano); Jude Murphy (bass, backing vocals)

The Globe was packed, and why not? Concerts don't come much - if any - better than one by Alexia and her two (or four) confederates. 

Opening with Cheek to Cheek we were indeed in Heaven and with a new dimension - rap! Lots of local references had the audience on her side. It Might as Well be Spring; I Got Rhythm and a delightful The Nearness of You, with Jude's bass solo particularly impressive followed, leading to Devil May Care and some inside information on a future event.

The trio were all wearing Scarborough Jazz Festival t-shirts ahead of their appearance at said festival later this month where, with Abbie and Harry added to make it a quintet, the concert will be recorded live - watch this space.

Lady is a Tramp, complete with verse, swung merrily along before the last day of summer was 'celebrated' with that song.

The set closed with Bob Marley's No Woman, No Cry which added an exotic touch to the proceedings. 

Topped up my Diet Coke, exchanged pleasantries, then the second set was upon us.

Hallelujah I Just Love Him so; The Way You Look Tonight - no shortage of 'breathless charm' when Alexia's at the helm - Mo Better Blues with an arco intro from Jude and One Note Samba transported us to Brazil albeit in English.

Ben E. King's Stand by me would probably have upset the purists had there been any. As it was it went down well as did What a Wonderful World with the lyrics cleverly worked to compare the north east with London which, needless to say was greeted enthusiastically. No doubt our girl has an alternative version for Ronnie's or Pizza. 

An unaccompanied take on Bob Dylan's Forever You demonstrated just how beautiful her voice was before a song that was new to me - Get Here. The song lists ways of reaching the singer i.e by railway, trailway, airplane, caravan in fact everything but the 27 bus!

That was supposed to be it. The audience had different ideas so, by popular demand they went out on Marley's Jammin'.

A great gig and not forgetting the tremendous backing and solos from Alan and Jude. 

Next Sunday, as announced, it's the Ben Shankĺand Trio - all winners or finalists at the BBC's Young Jazz Musician of the Year awards. Lance

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