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

18602 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 466 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 8) 17

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

Sat 13: Ladies of Midnight Blue + Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington NE63 9YF. Free. From 10:00am. Ladies of Midnight Blue (3:00-3:45pm); Northern Monkey Brass Band (4:00-4:45pm).
Sat 13: Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 13: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Saltburn Bandstand. 2:30-4:30pm. Free.
Sat 13: Courtney Pine @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £35.80. Pine (saxophones); Robert Mitchell (piano); Rio Kai (double bass); Romarna Campbell (drums). ‘A Modern-Day Jazz Story 1986 - 2026’.

Sun 14: Front Porch Band: Swing Tyne’s Swing Social @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations (£5.00. - £10.00. suggested). Swing dance event w. taster class (12:30pm).
Sun 14: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 14: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Doctor Jazz @ The Old Church, Sacriston, Durham. 3:00-5:00pm . Free (donations welcome). New Orleans, blues & classic 20th century songs. Food & soft drinks available, BYOB.
Sun 14: Eddie Gripper Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Gripper (piano); Clem Saynor (double bass); Patrick Barrett-Donlon (drums). Americana album tour.

Mon 15: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 15: Dan Johnson w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 16: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 16: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 18: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 19: Joe Steels Group @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 19: Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £14.33., £11.16., £8.00.
Fri 19: Martin Litton @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 (inc. bf); £6.50 (inc. bf); £15.00 on the door. Solo piano. CANCELLED!
Fri 19: Jools Holland’s R&B Orchestra @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Joe Webb support set.
Fri 19: Hot Club du Nord @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 19: Jive Aces: The Roots of Rock & Roll @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00 + bf.

Thursday, January 08, 2026

R.I.P. Rebecca Kilgore (1949 - Jan. 7, 2026)

The sad news of the passing of vocalist and songwriter Rebecca Kilgore has begun filtering through on social media. A long time favourite of mine 'Becky' leaves behind a host of wonderful albums which are never far from my player. 

Impossible to pick out a favourite, all are vocal masterclasses, with an impeccable choice of material. Two of them remember Maxine Sullivan, another is with Dave Frishberg and there are several with various combos led by trombonist Dan Barrett. As a F/b friend I knew there had been health issues which ultimately led to her retiring in her hometown of Portland Oregon. 

I think it was Roly Veitch who initially pointed me in her direction via numbers such as You're a Lucky Guy and Dear Bix. For that I'm eternally grateful - thank you Roly and thank you Rebecca Kilgore for the music which will forever have a place in my heart.

Sadly missed. Lance
at

1 comment :

Roly said...

Such sad news. I first heard her on a Russell Davies radio broadcast quite a few years ago. The track was 'A Hundred Years From Today' and I was quite taken by the warm, unaffected vocal and the distinctive clarinet led ensemble which turned out to be Bobby Gordon's Trio. Gordon played mostly in the low register of the instrument and in what I would describe as an impish way. I've never heard anyone play quite like that and I liked it a lot. I bought the album, 'Harlem Butterfly' (a remembrance of Maxine Sullivan). It’s a great CD and I still often play it. Following on from that I acquired several other CDs. All of them consistently good but one I would particularly pick out is
'I Saw Stars' with Dan Barrett's Celestial Six. Underpinning the sextet is some beautiful, light acoustic rhythm guitar from Bucky Pizzarelli. The entire band sits on his impeccable rhythm and time feel. Coming back to ‘Harlem Butterfly’ the album has two takes of the this lovely song. I like to think it was so good they couldn’t decide which to use so included both! Lyrics by Johnny Mercer.

Harlem butterfly
The moon got in your eye
The night you were born
Harlem butterfly
You listened to the cry
Of some lonely horn
And that combination
Left you a mark
One you’ll never, ever lose
While you chase some will o’ the wisp
In the dark
Your heart keeps singing the blues

Oh, Harlem butterfly
The writing’s in the sky
You’ll come to no good
But I’m not blaming you
I’m certain I would do
The same if I could
But even though a candle
Burned at the еnds
Can never last out the night
Harlеm butterfly
It really makes a lovely light

Friday, January 09, 2026 9:05:00 pm

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