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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

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

Monday, January 26, 2026

Sunday night @ the Globe: The Alexia Gardner Trio - Jan. 25

© Sylvia
Alexia Gardner (vocals); Alan Law (keys); Jude Murphy (bass, flute, backing vocals)

There was a buzz about the Globe last night. It didn't matter that it was cold, wet and windy outside, nor that NUFC had been taken to the cleaners by Villa. It was warm inside and the heat generated didn't just come from the radiators it also came from the convection transferred by the performers to the audience and back again. 

Since she relocated back to the north east Alexia has built up a devoted fan base and they were out in force. Football? What football? Weather? What weather? Jazz? Now you're talking...

No drums, no horns, just the bare necessities, who could ask for anything more?

© Sylvia
The first set consisted of, mainly, a choice selection of standards: They Can't Take That Away From me; It Might as Well be Spring and One Note Samba. The latter number featured Jude on double bass who played many more notes than the tune's title suggested. Jude also played the intro to The Way You Look Tonight before Alexia juggled the words and phrases around in a manner that Anita O'Day would have been proud of whilst still keeping that breathless charm in the process!

Nice to hear What a Difference a Day Made, singers should sing it more often, and I Got Rhythm with an a cappella intro. The set closed with Time After Time. This was the Cyndi Lauper song not the old standard that I know and love. 

It  had been a good first half, three ace musicians and a receptive audience.

The second set continued where the first set left off with more contemporary material but still with Ms Gardner's individuality shining through.

© Sheila
Sondheim's Send in the Clowns: an emotive vocal and some stark fluting from Jude. The bluesy Hallelujah I Just Love Him So; Eric Clapton's If I Could, I Would Change the World; a couple of Bob Marley's dedicated to her parents and their Jamaican homeland (Alexia was born in Birmingham - boo!) - Stir it up Little Darling and No Woman, No Cry. Get Here if You Can; What a Wonderful World and, finally, Help
© Sylvia

me Make it Through the Night
.

A special mention for Alan Law who 'sprinkled' the keyboard effectively and beautifully, and Jude who did her black and white outfit proud ...

Finally, I was absolutely over the moon to see Pam Young back on the scene and looking good after the sadness of last year. Lance

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