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

18445 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 309 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 20 ) 43,

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

April

Thu 23: FILM: Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 6:15pm. Dir. Robert Clem (2025).
Thu 23: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 23: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 23: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra & Musicians Unlimited @ ARC, Stockton. 8:00pm. £19.00. inc. bf.

Fri 24: Noel Dennis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. Dennis, Mark Willams, Andy Champion. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Trio Grand @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Ben Vince + The Exu @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £14.33., £11.16, £8.00. A ‘jazz adjacent’ gig!
Fri 24: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ni Maxine + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sun 26: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 26: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00., £7.00.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: House of Blues @ the Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00., £5.00. advance. A student-led jazz session. ‘House of Blues’ is, perhaps, a misnomer.
Mon 27: Littlewood Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00 + bf, £7.00. + bf.

Tue 28: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Hackney Colliery Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £25.00.

Monday, November 10, 2025

Sunday night @ the Globe: David Gray Flextet - Nov. 11

© Richard Davies
David 'Showtime' Gray (trombone, vocals); Pete Tanton (trumpet, flugel, vocals); Alan Law (keys); Paul Grainger (bass); Michael Mather (drums)

There was a buzz in the air at the Globe last night. There always is when David Gray and his Flextet are the featured band. Tables, chairs and audience were shuffled around to accommodate the goodly crowd who'd braved the weather to be entertained. Yes, jazz and entertainment don't have to be separate entities - they never are when 'Showtime' is calling the shots.

A Horace Silver influenced Gray original, Silver Orcas, got things underway. Sedate solos by the horns led to a finale that wasn't sedate. Mather's drum break brought the first of his trademark grins to the fore. It was the first of many. He enjoys his work.

Another original, Angular Moments was fast with Mather unleashing the kind of drum solo that most bands save for the grand finale  but, this isn't 'most bands' it's the David Gray Flextet.

Restless Mind was followed by Cat Bells. A tune, David explained, that he composed whilst walking down a mountain in the Lake District. It begins in 3/4 time. I'd have thought walking down mountains in 3/4 time could be a bit risky, however, it soon switched to 4/4 and the mountain rescue team weren't called out.

Pete Tanton lent his Chet Baker chops to Jobim's Wave singing and playing like the tragic legend himself before the set closed with It's Possible. Tanton had some strange device attached to his Harmon mute that produced a unique tone whilst, overall the sound was almost ethereal via some electronic unit.

Interval time. Nobody left and it was good to catch up with friends and acquaintances past and present.

© Richard Davies
Back on stage the 'Flexies' opened the second set with a tune that may, or may not have been, called Cast From the Sky. It had a catchy theme with a sound bass intro from Mr Dependable Paul Grainger - right on the money - and some fine solos.

So far, David's vocal chords had been kept in check but that was soon to change with Sénor Blues. Our man was in good voice following up with a 'bone blast that didn't hurt. He hung on to the mic for that wartime classic I'll be Seeing You which seemed appropriate for Remembrance Day. It was quite delightful. If he'd been born in Hoboken they'd have named a street after him!

Early November Valentine (did I get that right?!) then  a classic by J.J. Johnson/Nat Adderley - Cyclops. Everyone gave 110% here. David leapt up and down playing trombone, Law was cracking walnuts and finding the lost chord, Mather out-smiled a dozen Cheshire cats whist Grainger and Tanton stayed within the bounds of sanity (just!).

The show came to close with Neon Lights. Pete vocalised in English, David did likewise in German as well as acknowledging any celebrities in the room (joke).

It had been quite a night! Lance
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