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

18413 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 277 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 7 ) 11,

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

Tue 14: Pete Tanton’s Cuban Heels @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 14: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
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.

Thu 16: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Jewish Musicians/Composers/Vocalists.
Thu 16: Sleep Suppressor + Silk Road + So Anne So @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £10.00., £8.00., £6.00.
Thu 16: Fourpenny Rabbits @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Ben Crosland Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £12.96 (inc. bf) online; £15.00 on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.

Sat 18: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall. 11:00am-4:00pm. A Food Festival event.
Sat 18: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Swing dance sessions + Bright Street Big Band 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm.
Sat 18: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm. £27.00 (inc. bf).

Sun 19: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Trio + Lara Hopper.
Sun 19: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 19: Straight to Tape @ The Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Edd Carr, Jonathan Proud, John Hirst. Blues trio.
Sun 19: Graham Hardy’s Eclectic Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.

Mon 20: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 20: Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00. Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Thursday, January 01, 2026

A January preview

Two sold out concerts at the start of the year suggest the local (i.e. north east of England) jazz scene is in good shape. Residencies continue without pause, a new venue comes on stream and another is in the pipeline. If 2025 was a good year for the jazz fan (it was), 2026 looks like being every bit as good.

The two sold out gigs - Giles Strong at Newcastle's Lit & Phil on Friday 16th and Ronnie Scott's Soho Songbook at Sunderland's Fire Station (pictured) on Thursday 22nd - are unlikely to see many, if any, tickets being returned. However, it could be worth contacting the respective venues at: www.litandphil.org.uk and www.thefirestation.org.uk. 

The Pete Roth Trio should attract considerable interest at Darlington's Forum Music Centre (Tuesday 27) and Gosforth's Civic Theatre (Friday 30). Why? The trio's drummer just happens to be Bill Bruford! On the night, 'prog rock' fans will be first in the queue, beat them to it by booking online at: www.theforumonline.co.uk and/or www.gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk.

Elsewhere, Nauta (going out as a trio - that's Jacob, Jamie and Bailey) will be at Jesmond Library on Friday 9th (1:00pm), Mark Toomey makes a welcome return to Dorman's, Middlesbrough (Thursday 15) and Mama Terra (with Konrad Wiszniewski in the line-up) rock up at Pilgrim, Newcastle on Wednesday 28th. The Gaz Hughes Trio at Queen's Hall, Hexham (Sunday 25, afternoon) is a winner (Andrzej Baranek on piano!), as is Will Todd the previous evening at Durham Cathedral. It's a big affair featuring Voices of Hope, members of Strictly Smokin' and Todd at the piano. 

Finally, on Thursday 29th, Middlesbrough's new kid on the block, Prohibition Bar (over 35s only), presents the Noel Dennis Band with guest vocalist Zoë Gilby. Russell                   
at

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