Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 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

19,105 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 969 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Nov. 14) 39.

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

November

Sun 15: Lianne Carroll: Jazz Vocal Weekend Workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 9:30am-5:00pm. Day 2/2. SOLD OUT!
Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ The Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe. 7:00pm. £48.18 (to include dinner); £17.43 (concert only).
Sun 15: Sarah Gillespie & Chris Montague @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sun 15: Liane Carroll @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Solo performance. SOLD OUT!

Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Jacob Egglestone, Paul Grainger, Joe Deans.
Tue 17: Grammy Season (Laubrock/Seabrook/Lovato/Rainey) @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm. JNE.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 19: Papa G’s Troves @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 19: Marina Josephina @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £10.60; £10.60.; £8.50 Early Bird.

Fri 20: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: The Music of Duke Ellington @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Customs House Big Band @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.

Sat 21: Pete Tanton Duo @ Awesome Frank’s, West Jesmond Metro Station, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.00.
Sat 21: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Westovian Theatre, South Shields. 7:30pm. £18.00.

Saturday, January 17, 2026

The BBC Royal Charter Review, Green Paper and public consultation

The government is consulting the public to aid decision-making on the terms for the BBC Charter’s renewal and any changes needed to help the BBC to continue to serve the public. If you value democracy with pluralistic news services plus a pluralist media landscape, it is crucial that you respond to the consultation.

Re-reading George Orwell's 1984 in the light of the publishing of fake news online and in print, plus the cries from certain quarters that such an article is fake news when the opposite is true:

"The Ministry of Truth - Minitrue, in Newspeak...........From where Winston Smith stood it was just possible to read, picked out on white face in elgant lettering the three slogans of the party:
War is Peace
Freedom is slavey
Ignorance is strength"
 
This might all seem somehow familiar - in Newspeak - "a future feeling of deja vu".

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) commissioned Ipsos UK to research public use of and attitudes towards BBC News. The research aims to provide insights into the BBC’s role and performance within the broader UK news landscape, which will help inform the government’s upcoming review of the BBC’s Royal Charter.

This mixed-method research project combined an evidence review, a quantitative survey, qualitative focus groups and depth interviews. All fieldwork took place between 18 February 2025 and 20 March 2025.

You can read the full report at:

If you value the BBC as a vital part of democracy then please ensure you complete the survey and make sure your views are known. I shall write a response to the consultation which I will publish as soon as I can.

This consultation closes at
11:59pm on 10 March 2026

There is an online survey or you can email your responses:

How to email your responses

1 They would prefer you to answer the survey questions as it helps them structure and analyse your thoughts and views, although it is not mandatory. To do so, please copy and paste the questions into a new email.

2 If you’re answering the survey questions, write your responses below each question.

3 Send your email to: bbccharterreview@dcms.gov.uk.

Further information at:


Tony Hall was director general of the BBC between April 2013 and August 2020. In the Guardian he mkes a compelling case for retaining all the BBC

"The BBC tells the story of Britain in a way Netflix simply cannot. In the year to come, please remember that. I love many shows on the streaming channels, but the BBC is our storyteller. It defines a nation and its culture – and we must defend it".

Full article here

Chris Hodgkins 17th January 2026

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