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

18429 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 293 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 13 ) 27,

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

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. CANCELLED!
Sun 19: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
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.

Tue 21: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval NE25 0AT. Tel: 0191 237 3697. Tickets: £14.00. ‘Pie & Pea Lunch’.
Tue 21: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £29.00., £26.00., £23.00.
Tue 21: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Jack Littlewood (drums).

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Nubiyan Twist @ Digital, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £28.75 (inc. bf).
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 7:30pm. Date, time & admission TBC.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 23: FILM: Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 6:15pm. Dir. Robert Clem (2025).
Thu 23: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 23: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 23: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra & Musicians Unlimited @ ARC, Stockton. 8:00pm. £19.00. inc. bf.

Fri 24: Noel Dennis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. Dennis, Mark Willams, Andy Champion.
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Trio Grand @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Ben Vince + The Exu @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £14.33., £11.16, £8.00. A ‘jazz adjacent’ gig!
Fri 24: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £13.20 (inc. bf).
Fri 24: TBC @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.

Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm.
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Friday, January 23, 2026

Sue Ferris Quintet @ The Gala Durham - Jan. 23

Sue Ferris (tenor sax, flute); Graham Hardy (trumpet); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

Jazz at the Gala packed 'em in last year and this first lunchtime concert of the year continued the trend. The Sue Ferris Quintet is a 24 carat outfit, one you can hang your hat on and Sue and the boys weren't about to disappoint. As the SFQ opened with Sandu still they came in, 100 seated with, perhaps, one or two standing at the back of the room. 

Clifford Brown's much-loved number done and dusted (excellent solos all), the quintet would revisit other much-loved numbers. Trane's Moment's Notice was a late addition to the published programme, Ferris saying she gave trumpeter Graham Hardy, pianist Ben Lawrence, bassist Andy Champion and drummer John Bradford little more than a moment's notice. Amazingly, they rose to the challenge - this is quite some band! 

Cumbrian Ben Lawrence is quite the composer. Another airing of Chiquita confirmed the view that BL's composition stands comparison with most any other number. Its Horace Silver-like head with solos from Sue and Graham right out of a McCoy Tyner-Trane vibe, great stuff!

Speaking of Mr Silver...Nica's Dream and The Jody Grind were meat and drink to Ferris and co.. All or Nothing at All was something of a surprise addition to the set list, no matter, it worked. Graham's arrangement of One Hand, One Heart, a staple for Sue's superb quintet, showcased flawless solos (all hitting their straps) and a cohesive group sound (Andy Champion and John Bradford a twin-tower of strength). 

Roy Hargrove's Soppin' the Biscuit has become a familiar and popular set closer and here on Millennium Place the SFQ wasn't about to depart from the script. A fabulous hour of modern jazz, next time Sue Ferris is out and about, don't hesitate, book your seat(s).

Next month's Jazz at the Gala lunchtime concert (Friday 27 February) features guitarist Joe Steels. What's more, Joe will be touring his new album A Blue Patch. The Joe Steels Group - Joe, Ben Lawrence (this afternoon's star turn pianist),  Paul Susans (double bass) and drummer John Hirst - will,  likely as not, play to another full house. With full five weeks to go, more than 65 percent of the seats have been snapped up! Book now: www.galadurham.co.uk. Russell                   
  
Set list: Sandu; Moment's Notice; Chiquita; Nica's Dream; The Jody Grind; All or Nothing at All; One Hand, One Heart; Soppin' the Biscuit.
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