Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18383 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 247 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 17 ), 57

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

March

Mon 30: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 30: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 31: Bede Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Albert Hills Wright (alto sax); Finn Carter (piano); Michael Dunlop (double bass).

April

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ 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: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Musicians playing classical & orchestral music.
Thu 02: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 21s only.
Thu 02: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 02: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00. adv..
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Thursday, December 11, 2025

Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle - Dec. 10

Bold Big Band: Jacob Lightfoot, Max Storey (alto sax); Jamie Toms, Georgia ? (tenor sax); Brian Wicks (baritone sax, MD); Billy Bradshaw, Bill Watson, Josh Skyrme, David ? (trumpets); Alex Utting, Bertie Marks, Thomas McDonald, Simon Hirst (trombones); Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Marcus Dawe (piano); Ifede Osiyemi (bass guitar); Jack Littlewood (drums); Cara Britton (vocals)

The Bold Big Band down in the Ouseburn at this time of year can mean only one thing - Christmas at the Cluny! It's become an annual thing. Brian Wicks' roaring big band in Cluny 2, Christmas crackers, terrible jokes (courtesy of Mr B. Wicks), a beer or three and some cracking charts.

A Latin number for openers, Sammy Nestico's arrangement of Good Swing WenceslasIt's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year featuring bandleader Wicks' baritone sax, the Hip-Bone Big Band's Trombone Institute of Technology, a touch of Disney, Les Brown's Nutcracker Suite, the Bold Big Band knocked 'em out of the park.

Second set: Michel Camilo's One More Once, featuring depping tenor saxophonist Jamie Toms, raised the bar, a Tom Kubis arrangement of Deck the Halls reminded us the 'season to be' is almost upon us. Yes, more bold, brassy big band jazz from the Bold Big Band. 

And what of the band's vocalist? The Bold Big Band is known for, well, being 'bold'. Cara Britton came out fighting, determined to be heard, and heard she was! Singing half a dozen numbers across the evening, Ms. B gave it everything, not least on Deedle's Blues and Too Darn Hot

The Bold Big Band's trumpet section impressed, the rhythm section never took its foot off the gas all night, indeed all sections did the business. This being the season, O Tannenbaum put in an appearance, and, to close the show, Cara Britton returned to send us on our way with a raucous Let the Good Times RollRussell  

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