Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ 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: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

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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