Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Thursday, March 05, 2026

Press release: LOVE SUPREME JAZZ FESTIVAL 2026 ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL ACTS

De La Soul (full band), Anderson .Paak (as DJ Pee .Wee), Free Nationals, Sister Sledge, Gabrielle, Franc Moody, Durand Bernarr, Alex Isley, Courtney Pine, Lemar, Bill Frisell Trio & Greg Tardy, Luke Bacchus, Loose Ends, Joe Lovano & Antonio Faraò, Light Of The World, Young Gun Silver Fox, Emma Rawicz INKYRA, Kiefer, Joe Webb Trio among over 25 new names joining line-up for Europe’s largest outdoor jazz festival

 

*De La Soul announced as Sunday headliners for their only UK full band show of 2026*

 

*Brit Award and Mercury Prize-winning Ezra Collective confirmed as Friday headliners and will curate “Temple Of Joy”, a celebration of the artists and community that inspire them, bringing together a genre-spanning line-up throughout the day ahead of their headline performance*

 

** Loyle Carner makes his Love Supreme debut with Saturday headline slot**

 

Love Supreme 2026 Full Line-Up To Date (more acts TBA):

Ezra Collective Presents Temple Of Joy (Friday headline) • Loyle Carner (Saturday headline) • De La Soul (Sunday headline) • Jalen Ngonda • Free Nationals • Sister Sledge • Gabrielle • The Temptations & The Four Tops • Franc Moody • Maze • Durand Bernarr • Kokoroko • Samara Joy • esperanza spalding • Alex Isley • Courtney Pine • Lemar • Bill Frisell & Greg Tardy • Moses Boyd • Joe Lovano & Antonio Faraò • Olive Jones • The War & Treaty • Young Gun Silver Fox • Loose Ends • Annie & the Caldwells • Luke Una • Light of the World • CARRTOONS • Joe Webb Trio • Tony Momrelle and Natalie Williams Soul Family  • Kiefer • D.K. Harrell • Emma Rawicz INKYRA
and more

 

Glynde Place, East Sussex from Friday July 3rd – Sunday July 5th 2026

 

Tickets are on sale now from www.lovesupremefestival.com

 

Love Supreme Jazz Festival has added over 25 artists to its 2026 programme including its Sunday headliner, the revolutionary alt jazz hip-hop outfit De La Soul (performing with a full band). The recent additions expand a line-up that already includes Ezra Collective (Friday headline), Loyle Carner (Saturday headline), Samara Joy, Jalen Ngonda, The Temptations & The Four Tops, Kokoroko, Esperanza Spalding, Moses Boyd, Annie & The Caldwells and The War and Treaty.

 

Newly announced artists include DJ Pee. Wee - the alter ego of 9x Grammy-winning artist and producer Anderson .Paak; enduring US vocal group behind a string of hits including We Are Family, He’s The Greatest Dancer and Lost In Music Sister Sledge; boundary-pushing British saxophonist Courtney Pine, who celebrates 40 years since the release of his acclaimed debut album Journey From Within; BRIT Award-winning singer-songwriter Gabrielle; multi-platinum-selling British soul star Lemar; and Anderson .Paak’s live band, the American funk/R&B outfit Free Nationals.

 

Also joining the line-up are visionary electric guitarist Bill Frisell celebrating his 75th birthday this yearUS jazz giant Joe Lovano with Italian pianist Antonio Faraò; London funk collective Franc Moody; British R&B outfit Loose Ends, whose 1985 hit Hangin’ on a String made them the first UK act to top the US Billboard R&B chart; LA pianist and producer Keifer; indie R&B singer Durand Bernarr, whose recent album secured Best Progressive R&B Album at this year’s Grammys; influential British jazz-funk pioneers Light of the World; Grammy-nominated US vocalist Alex Isley; Mercury Music Prize-nominated pianist Joe Webb; fast-rising British saxophonist and composer Emma Rawicz; and BBC Young Jazz Musician finalist Luke Bacchus.

 

For the first time, Love Supreme will feature three full days of main stage programming, opening on Friday July 3rd with a headline performance from Ezra Collective. Having first performed at the festival as an emerging act in 2016 - a show they describe as a career breakthrough - and following acclaimed sets in 2018 and 2022, the group have since risen to become one of the UK’s most celebrated and internationally recognised jazz acts and return in 2026 as main stage headliners. In addition to their headline performance, the group will curate the opening day programme, titled Temple Of Joy, presenting artists who reflect their influences and collaborative ethos. 

 

Saturday’s headline will be multi-award-winning British rapper and songwriter Loyle Carner, whose introspective, jazz-infused hip-hop and socially conscious lyricism have earned widespread acclaim and a global fanbase. Carner’s show comes after a landmark 2025 which included a Glastonbury Other Stage headline, four sold-out nights at Brixton Academy and the release of Top Five album Hopefully.


Love Supreme will once again feature an array of festival experiences including a new restaurant, wellness and yoga sessions, a new, expanded Kids area, two Supremium VIP areas, and the Jazz Lounge with artist interviews, talks, and screenings. The Bands & Voices and Blue In Green areas will also offer cabaret, spoken word, swing dance lessons, and late-night performances in the woods.

 

Full line-up to date:

 

Loyle Carner

Ezra Collective - presents Temple of Joy

De La Soul - Only UK Full Live Band Show of 2026

Anderson .Paak (as DJ Pee .Wee)

Jalen Ngonda

Free Nationals

Sister Sledge

Gabrielle

The Temptations & The Four Tops

Franc Moody

Maze - UK Festival Exclusive

Durand Bernarr

Kokoroko

Samara Joy

esperanza spalding

Alex Isley

Courtney Pine

Lemar

Bill Frisell & Greg Tardy

Moses Boyd

Joe Lovano & Antonio Faraò

Olive Jones

The War & Treaty

Young Gun Silver Fox

Loose Ends

Annie & the Caldwells

Luke Una - É Soul Cultura

Light of the World

CARRTOONS

Joe Webb Trio

Tony Momrelle and Natalie Williams Soul Family 

Kiefer

D.K. Harrell

Emma Rawicz INKYRA

LULU.

Luke Bacchus

James Emmanuel

Hetta Falzon

Eliane Correa En El Aire Project

Guvna B

Kio

two kalme

Eniola

Amanda

 

Tickets are on sale now from www.lovesupremefestival.com. 

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