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

18482 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 346 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 30 ) 80

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

May

Sat 02: Midnite Follies Orchestra @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £20.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. All-star line-up.
Sat 02: Knats Masterclass & Jam II @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 1:00-3:00pm. £15.00.
Sat 02: Shannon Pearl + John Pope & John Garner @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf. ‘Witch-pop’ + Pope & Garner.
Sat 02: Knats + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sat 02: Midnite Special @ Station East, Gateshead. 7:30pm. Free. A Lonnie Donegan ‘King of Skiffle’ celebration.
Sat 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 03: Chilcott Jazz Mass @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 9:30am. Free. Sung communion with Parish Choir (featuring Bob Chilcott’s music). A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 03: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Mark Toomey (alto sax).
Sun 03: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: Tom Waits for No Man @ Oxygenic, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm (2:30pm doors). Neckties and Boxing Gloves album launch. £14.00 (gig & a CD); £8.00 (gig only). SOLD OUT!
Sun 03: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 03: John Pope & John Garner @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.

Mon 04: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Pete Tanton’s Cuban Heels @ The Library, South Parade, Whitley Bay. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 05: Leah Kirk (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 2:30pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jenny Baker (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 4:20pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 07: Robert Finley @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50. Excellent US falsetto soul/blues voice.
Thu 07: ALT @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Rob Walker. Thu 07: Liam & Shayo @ The Globe , Newcastle. 8:00pm. £5.00. Liam Oliver (guitar), Shayo Oshodi (vocals).
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 08: Alan Law Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Law, Mick Shoulder, John Bradford.
Fri 08: Giles Strong & Richard Herdman @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Guitar duo.
Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 6:00pm . Free. A Late Shows event.
Fri 08: Nigel Kennedy @ The Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Line-up inc. Alec Dankworth.

Wednesday, March 04, 2026

MILES. @ Southwark Playhouse (Borough), London - Mar. 2

Benjamin Akintuyosi (Miles) Jay Phelps (Jay & Others)

The Little Theatre is Southwark's flexible theatre-in-the-round space. As the audience was ushered in, a motionless body lay prostrate on a piano. The lights dimmed until the auditorium was in total darkness. Undercover of darkness, the hitherto motionless body exited the scene. 

In the centenary year of the birth of Miles Dewey Davis III, writer and director Oliver Kaderbhai has revived his 2025 Edinburgh Festival stage play MILES.. A two-hander starring recent RADA graduate Benjamin Akintuyosi and trumpeter Jay Phelps, the final week of performances at Southwark Playhouse are playing to sold out audiences. 

At 22, Benjamin Akintuyosi as Miles achieves a remarkable physical transformation: the older Miles, the rasping voice. Canadian trumpeter Jay Phelps is equally convincing as Jay, a young musician working on his new album. 

Researching Kind of Blue, seeking insight and inspiration, Jay is intensely curious as to how Miles produced his trademark sound, the band's sound. Jay meets Miles...

Jay and Miles talk, then talk some more (Miles teases Jay, calling him 'Dave'). Over the course of an hour and more, Miles talk about John, Cannonball, Bill, Wynton, Paul, Jimmy, Bird, Dizzy, Gil and others (all familiar names to the jazz fan). The soundtrack is Kind of Blue, heard on tape and as played on stage by Phelps. On one wall, from time to time, flickering black and white images from the jazz archives help colour the story. The addictions, the women, notably Juliette Gréco, are markers along the way. MILES. is a compelling theatre production, not least Benjamin 'Benji' Akintuyosi's portrayal of Miles and Phelps' evocation of Miles' sound.          

A post-performance Q&A was attended by more than a few diehards. The Times' Clive Davis led a discussion about the play, its origins and development. Several members of the audience pitched in, asking questions. Benji and Jay were more than happy to answer at length. It had been an enjoyable and interesting evening. Russell 

:DELIRIUM: & Lauren Reed Productions presented MILES. by special arrangement with Miles Davis Properties LLC & Reservoir Media Management, Inc. 
  
CAST

Benjamin  Akintuyosi
Jay Phelps
 
CREATIVES

Oliver Kaderbhai: Writer, director & producer
Lauren Reed: Producer & general manager
Alex Lewer: Lighting designer & technical manager 
Colin J Smith: Video design & production photographer
Ellie Wintour: Set & costume design
Will Tonna: Sound design
Helen Parkin-Moore: Stage manager
Amelia Bright: Assistant director manager
Casimira Hayward-Peel: Production manager
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