Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (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

18504 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 368 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 7 ) 22

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

May

Sat 16: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. God Bless the Child - Lady Day!. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 16: Kaberry Big Band @ the Seahorse Pub, Hillheads Rd., Whitley Bay NE23 8HR. From 7:30pm. £15.00
Sat 16: Lady Nade @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. ‘Lady Nade sings Nina Simone’.

Sun 17: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Forum Theatre, Billingham. 7:30pm.
Sun 17: QOW Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Spike Wells, Riley Stone-Lonergan & Eddie Myer.

Mon 18: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 18: Mark Williams Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 19: GoGo Penguin + Daudi Matsiko @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £22.00 + £4.40 bf.
Tue 19: Danny Lowndes’ Hot Club @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £5.00 bf.
Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Mark Robertson (drums).

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Jordan Jackson @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.80 (inc. bf); £15.40 (inc. bf).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Jazz Classics with Rivkala @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Rivkala (vocals); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 21: 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 22: Paul Skerritt @ Market Place, Durham. From 12 noon. Free. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Fri 22: Paul Edis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00. Edis, Andy Champion, Steve Hanley.
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 22: Paul Edis Trio @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £TBC. Edis, Andy Champion, Steve Hanley.

Tuesday, October 07, 2025

Santana @ the House of Blues, Las Vegas - Sept. 21

For various reasons I never saw Santana until about fifteen years ago when I vowed I'd never miss them/him again. I've seen them/ him twice in the UK since but never thought I'd also see them twice in the US, but when it turned out they had a residency at the hotel/casino next door to ours, in the small House of Blues Theatre, our attendance was never in doubt.

Advertised as a greatest-hits set, it began more or less chronologically: Soul Sacrifice, Jingo, Evil Ways and Black Magic Woman mercifully followed by Gypsy - at Newcastle Utilita it was allowed to fizzle out which was enormously disappointing. Oye Comó Va was followed by the first track from the extraordinarily successful Supernatural album - Maria Maria - and a few tracks I knew but didn't know the title or any background.

The classics returned with Europa - the only time I've heard them play it - and She's Not There and a lengthy drums and bass feature featuring a reference to Black Sabbath's Iron Man, which received rapturous applause. He spoke, his seventy-eight years showing in his mobility - a bit like Biden - if not his guitar playing, he shuffled between two chairs on stage like a modern-day version of a great blues artist. When a spiritual soul like Santana drops the F bomb you know the country and the world have lost its way.

Incident at Neshabur brought on Ravi - son of John Coltrane. In all honesty it never quite gelled, despite referencing at least three Trane tracks, including Chim Chim Cher-ee and My Favorite Things but surprisingly no A Love Supreme. Nevertheless, although I've seen Ravi twice in the UK and he was great (the second time), it was amazing to see them both on stage, Carlos with the son of his ultimate musical hero. Another lengthy drum solo by the boss's wife was followed by another track I know but not where from - presumably Supernatural - but featuring an excerpt from Gajira.

He left but returned for Toussaint L' Overture and inevitably Smooth, the most successful track from the Supernatural set. The omission of Samba Pa Te  was my only disappointment, the only time I've seen them when they didn't play it, though I suspect it made way for Europa.

And that was it; I can't imagine he'll be back in the UK and I have no plans to return to America. A world-famous household name but still one of the most under-rated artists we've been fortunate to have in our lifetime.  Steve T 
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