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.

Thursday, January 15, 2026

Press release: Brick Lane Jazz Festival - April 23 - 26, 2026.

Having firmly established itself as a cornerstone of East London’s musical landscape, Brick Lane Jazz Festival has earned a reputation for spotlighting local artists and emerging trailblazers from the city’s thriving underground scenes, whilst honouring the jazz legends that have come before them. Always striving to find new ways to support the next generation of talent, the festival has today announced details of a new conference programme along with a new release of Pro Pass tickets that will give attendees access to a range of talks, workshops, exhibits, and exclusive performances.

Brick Lane Jazz Festival returns for their fifth birthday edition from 23rd – 26th April 2026, the new conference announcement sees a host of inimitable and eclectic panellists join a stacked line-up headlined by Joe Armon-Jones, Brian Jackson, and anaiis & Grupo Cosmo. Amongst the conference speaker lineup are the likes of multi-award winning saxophonist and community leader Ahnansé, co-founder of jazz mentoring charity Tomorrow’s Warriors, Gary Crosby OBE; the Women In Jazz collective, audio tech pioneers Solid State Logic, Swedish keyboard manufacturers Nord, ethical streaming tastemaker service Qobuz; Tru Thoughts Records; DJ, and broadcaster, Rohan Rakhit; DJ, broadcaster & music journalist, Tina Edwards; hip-hop activist and mentor Eerf Evil; long-time friends of the festival, label and promoters, Tru Thoughts Records, and many more.

The conference will be held in the festival’s new venue, the ‘Flow State Hub’ - an open-plan warehouse space opposite Juju’s Bar & Stage in the heart of the festival site in Ely’s Yard, while Juju’s Bar & Stage will host their evening networking mixers. There will also be opportunities for structured networking sessions in partnership with Women in Jazz at Juju’s Bar, which will include one-to-one mentoring sessions with industry professionals, as well as some less formal networking mixers. Festival sponsors, One Jazz Radio, will be broadcasting live from the conference venue, with performances from the Nord stage included.

Speaking on the conference, the festival’s founder, Juliet Kennedy says, “Our aim is to empower artists and music professionals by connecting people across the industry, encouraging meaningful exchange, and helping create sustainable opportunities within London’s grassroots music ecosystem.”

Independent apparel, lifestyle, homeware, and cosmetics retailer, Goodhood, will also be joining the conference as a partner. The store will be providing a retail outlet for some of the festival’s cutting-edge exhibitor audio equipment in the conference hub, with their store next door to Juju’s Bar. The National Jazz Archive will also be present in the conference hub with an archival exhibit and pop-up shop selling records & merch.

Pro Pass tickets are available now from just £19. Full conference programme and tickets HERE
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive