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, 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                   
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