Bebop Spoken There

Warne Marsh: "At some point, you have to be prepared to create—to perform. It's vital, man, if we're talking about jazz, the original jazz, the performing art. It fulfils its meaning only when you play it live in front of an audience." DownBeat January 1983.

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

18191 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 45 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 14), 45

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Thu 22: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: 2025 obituaries.
Thu 22: Ronnie Scott’s Soho Songbook @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Thu 22: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta. @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm (doors). £6.50 (inc. bf).

Fri 23: Sue Ferris Quintet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 24: An Evening with Will Todd @ Durham Cathedral. 7:30pm. Feat. Voices of Hope, Strictly Smokin’ Big Band (members of) & Alice Grace. Performance inc. Todd’s Jazz Missa Brevis. £25.50., £13.50., £19.50., £10.50.

Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Alexia Gardner Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.

Mon 26: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 27: Pete Roth Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm. Feat. Bill Bruford.

Wed 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 28: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 28: Mama Terra @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £19.08 (inc. bf).
Wed 28: James Hunter Six @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £28.50. adv. Rhythm & blues.
Wed 28: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

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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