Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Geordie Jazz Jam @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Newcastle University jam session. All welcome.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

Fri 27: Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! A Blue Patch album tour.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Radio Hito + Eddie Prévost, Silvain Schmid & Tom Wheatley @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.22., £10.10., £8.00.
Fri 27: Giacomo Smith w Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

Sat 28: Boys of Brass @ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R&B Allstars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Free.

March

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free Quintet + guest Dan Johnson (tenor sax).
Sun 01: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Fergus McCreadie & Matt Carmichael @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 3:00-4:30pm.
Sun 01: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Littlewood Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00., £8.00. adv., £6.00. 25 & under. Marcus Dawe (piano); Ifedi Osiyemi (bass); Jack Littlewood (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

Tuesday, February 03, 2026

Farewell to Ken Peplowski (1959 - Feb. 2, 2026)

The sad news has filtered through that saxist/clarinetist Ken Peplowski passed away yesterday (Feb. 2) after playing a set as part of the Jazz Cruise. Although he'd had health problems in recent years he seemed to be on the mend.

I have so many memories of seeing and hearing him over the years both live and on disc.

A Corner House gig with the Bill Harper Trio in, I think, the late '80s/early '90s got me hooked, Around about then he also took part in one of the all-time greatest north east jazz concerts at the (then) Saville Exchange, North Shields...

Marty Grosz (guitar, vocals) and Ken Peplowski (tenor sax, clarinet) were not only musically compatible but could also lay claim to be the best comedy duo to come from America since Abbott and Costello.

Another 'card' that Ken hit it off with was fellow multi-reedsman and raconteur Alan Barnes. Sessions at Scarborough Jazz Festival in 2009 and at Lockerbie Jazz Festival the following year are lodged firmly and fondly in my memory.

When it came to mainstream tenor playing Ken Peplowski could hold his own with the best. When it came to mainstream clarinet playing Ken Peplowski was the best. It is so sad that he left us at the relatively early age of 66 but at least he died shortly after doing what he did so well - playing jazz, making people happy, may he REST IN PEACE. Lance

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2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Sad news. I have a CD that I play a lot. It is titled 'Remembering Louis' and on the 'Jump' label. It features a quartet of Ken Peplowski (clarinet), Marty Grosz (acoustic guitar), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) and Vince Giordano (double bass & bass sax). It was recorded in 2001 at a church in Manhattan with great acoustics and although there was no audience the group were recorded playing live with just one mic per player. The recording engineer was Herb Pomeroy. The musicianship, the interplay and the sense of fun they convey makes for a terrific album.
Roly

Thursday, February 05, 2026 4:46:00 pm
Mike Farmer said...

What a loss! Saw him recently on a show from Mezzrows with Spike Wilmer on piano and my favourite drummer Matt Wilson. Irreplaceable R.I.P Ken

Sunday, February 22, 2026 8:34:00 am

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