Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 544 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 3) 8

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

July

Thu 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 09: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 09: 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 10: Swing Manouche @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Olly Styles & Jacob Egglestone @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 10: Archipelago @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:00pm . New album fundraiser gig.
Fri 10: King Bees @ Rebel Yell, Nelson St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Chicago blues.

Sat 11: Spanish City Rollers @ Community Stage: Mouth of the Tyne Festival, Front Street, Tynemouth. 12 noon. Free.
Sat 11: Jazz Stage: Mouth of the Tyne Festival (o/s Tynemouth Priory), Tynemouth. Free. Vieux Carré Jazzmen (12 noon); Rendezvous Jazz (1:00pm); Castillo Nuevo Trio (2:00pm); Classic Swing (3:00pm); Abbie Finn Trio (4:00pm). Day 1/2.
Sat 11: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 11: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Beehive, Hartley Lane, Earsdon NE25 0SZ. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. The Hot 4 with guest Colin Aitchison (trumpet, vocals).
Sat 11: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man + Adam Millington @ St John’s Chapel, Town Hall, Weardale DL13 1QF. 5:00pm (doors). £16.26., £10.84., £8.67., £5.42 (under 18).
Sat 11: Milne Glendinning Band @ Langley Tracks, Langley-on-Tyne. 5:30pm. POSTPONED!
Sat 11: Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm.
Sat 11: Karberry Big Band @ Forest Hall Social Club. 7:00pm. £7.00.
Sat 11: Ray Quinn: The King of Swing @ The Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.

Sun 12: Jazz Stage: Mouth of the Tyne Festival (o/s Tynemouth Priory), Tynemouth. Free. Trilogy of Four (11:00am); River City Jazzmen (12:10pm); Delta Prophets (1:20pm); B.O.C.K.S. Set (2:30pm); Mouth of the Tyne All Stars (3:40pm). Day 2/2.
Sun 12: Phantom Bagman + OUTRI @ The Bandstand, The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free.
Sun 12: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Easington Social Welfare Centre. 2:00-4:00pm. A Durham Brass Festival event.
Sun 12: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 12: Guisborough Big Band @ Zetland Park Methodist Church, Redcar. 2:00-4:00pm. Free. Charity gig in aid of Parkinson’s Society.
Sun 12: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: The Bridge Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 13: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 13: Shildon Little Brass Bash @ Locomotion, Shildon. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Mon 13: Quarrington Little Brass Bash @ Quarrington Community Centre. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.

Tue 14: Vieux Carre Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £15.00 (reservations: 0191 237 3697). ‘July Jazz Barbecue!’
Tue 14: Crook Little Brass Bash @ Crook Community Centre. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Tue 14: Barnard Castle Little Brass Bash @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Tue 14: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Tickets from Tully’s, Rothbury. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.
Tue 14: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Willington Big Brass Bash @ Town Park, Willington. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Wed 15: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Café Needle’s Eye, Promenade, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea NE64 6XE. 6:00pm. Free. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Side Café Orkestar @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00 (£11.00. adv.); £12.00 concs (£8.00. concs adv.).

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

The Club Croco Tour - Hexham, Newcastle Jazz Co-op, Yamaha Music School, Blyth & Blaydon Jazz Club - Oct. 19 & 20

Adrian Cox Trio: Adrian Cox (clarinet, vocals); Alex 'Honey' Boulton (guitar, vocals); Alex Gilson (double bass, vocals)

The Adrian Cox Trio arrived in the region - that's the north east of England - to perform six concerts in four days. Each one, without exception, would prove to be nothing short of sensational. The first two concerts (Newcastle Arts Centre and Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club) reviewed earlier, played to near capacity audiences. The other four concert venues were in for a treat.

Queen's Hall, Hexham hosts a monthly Sunday afternoon concert series, broadly modern to contemporary jazz. Adrian Cox playing New Orleans jazz would be something a little different to the usual fayre. From a scorching New Orleans Stomp to J'attendrai to Home, Cox (clarinet), Honey Boulton (guitar) and double bass maestro Alex Gilson charmed the birds from the trees in  the Sele (directly opposite Queen's Hall). The trio made such an impression the audience took to its feet, quite an ovation. 

And on to Sunday evening on Railway Street, Newcastle. Much the same as Hexham, Newcastle Jazz Co-op is noted for its (many excellent) contemporary offerings. Cox and co were about to demolish any preconceived ideas of 'trad jazz'. The number that does it every time is New Orleans Stomp. Taken at tempo 'de tear arse' (K. Nichols), Cox, Boulton and Gilson adopted a 'scorched earth' policy, no one and nothing would be left standing. During the interval one punter confided: I got into jazz via Coltrane, this evening has been an education. Another, a musician steeped in the music, was impressed.  

Monday: Blyth. Yamaha Music School on Seaforth Street goes from strength to strength - courses galore, weekly concerts and more. This lunchtime, the Adrian Cox Trio would be entertaining another wholly different audience. Allocated but forty five minutes, the mercurial Cox hit the ground running. Engaging his audience, an informative communicator, Cox flew the flag for the Crescent City and its musical legacy. Louis Armstrong, Lil Hardin, King Oliver, Omer Simeon and more, Cox sketched out the history of the music. Three quarters of an hour later the Club Croco merchandise stall was doing brisk business. It tells a story...

Monday evening. This one couldn't fail. The Black Bull, Blaydon, home to Blaydon Jazz Club. Advance tickets, last minute enquiries (I don't have a ticket. Will I be able to get in?), it had the makings of a special night. New Orleans Stomp (whoosh!), Parisian bassist Alex Gilson singing J'attendrai, a sizzling Rehearsin' for a Nervous Breakdown, Adrian Cox, Honey Boulton (pictured talking guitars with Blaydon Jazz Club's Roly Veitch) and Alex Gilson certainly enjoyed their time 'up north'. A return visit would be  most welcome. Russell   
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2 comments :

Gordon Solomon said...

Hi Russell, as you know I was at the Blaydon session- I think the difficulty in describing this band is finding enough superlatives. All three really were in the superstar category, Adrian Cox’s playing, in his chosen style was certainly as good as the best on both sides of the Atlantic. I asked Adrian how they managed to memorise a full program of such complex arrangements and he said that their rehearsals can last up to 10 hours, I can well believe it. Full marks to you for organising the tour, hopefully we’ll see a return visit.

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 10:18:00 am
BSH said...

I completely agree Gordon's comments. Brilliant! Well done Russell in arranging this tour. Roly.

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 10:28:00 am

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