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

18621 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 485 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 14) 37

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

Thu 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 18: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 19: Joe Steels Group @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 19: Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £14.33., £11.16., £8.00.
Fri 19: Martin Litton @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 (inc. bf); £6.50 (inc. bf); £15.00 on the door. Solo piano. CANCELLED!
Fri 19: Jools Holland’s R&B Orchestra @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Joe Webb support set.
Fri 19: Hot Club du Nord @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 19: Jive Aces: The Roots of Rock & Roll @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00 + bf.

Sat 20: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer Festival, Corbridge. 5:00-6:00pm.
Sat 20: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 20: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Trinity Church, Gosforth, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. NCRO w. guests Dean Stockdale & Nick Ward.

Sun 21: From Lagos to Longbenton: Unity in the Community @ Sunderland Minster. From 1:30pm. Free. A multi-bill Unity in the Community event, inc. From Lagos to Longbenton.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio w. Graham Hardy.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 22: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 23: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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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