Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18482 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 346 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 30 ) 80

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

Sun 03: Chilcott Jazz Mass @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 9:30am. Free. Sung communion with Parish Choir (featuring Bob Chilcott’s music). A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 03: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Mark Toomey (alto sax).
Sun 03: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: Tom Waits for No Man @ Oxygenic, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm (2:30pm doors). Neckties and Boxing Gloves album launch. £14.00 (gig & a CD); £8.00 (gig only). SOLD OUT!
Sun 03: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 03: John Pope & John Garner @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.

Mon 04: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Pete Tanton’s Cuban Heels @ The Library, South Parade, Whitley Bay. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 05: Leah Kirk (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 2:30pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jenny Baker (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 4:20pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 07: Robert Finley @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50. Excellent US falsetto soul/blues voice.
Thu 07: ALT @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Rob Walker. Thu 07: Liam & Shayo @ The Globe , Newcastle. 8:00pm. £5.00. Liam Oliver (guitar), Shayo Oshodi (vocals).
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 08: Alan Law Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Law, Mick Shoulder, John Bradford.
Fri 08: Giles Strong & Richard Herdman @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Guitar duo.
Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 6:00pm . Free. A Late Shows event.
Fri 08: Nigel Kennedy @ The Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Line-up inc. Alec Dankworth.

Sat 09: SH#RP Collective w. Lindsay Hannon @ Church of Holy Name, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00 (inc. a welcome drink). Advance booking essential. Bring own snacks, drinks to be purchased at ‘donations’ bar. All proceeds to charity. A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sat 09: East Coast Swing Band @ Jubilee Hall, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £10.00.

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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