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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

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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