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

18602 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 466 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 8) 17

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

Fri 12: Look Left + Olly Styles Trio @ The Head of Steam, Neville St., Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Look Left (formerly Littlewood Trio) feat. Marcus Dawe (keyboards); Ifede Osiyemi (bass); Jack Littlewood (drums). Olly Styles Trio feat. Styles (tenor sax); Paul Grainger (double bass); Josh Weir (drums).
Fri 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Cleveland Bay Hotel, Eaglescliffe. 9:00pm. Free.

Sat 13: Ladies of Midnight Blue + Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington NE63 9YF. Free. From 10:00am. Ladies of Midnight Blue (3:00-3:45pm); Northern Monkey Brass Band (4:00-4:45pm).
Sat 13: Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 13: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Saltburn Bandstand. 2:30-4:30pm. Free.
Sat 13: Courtney Pine @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £35.80. Pine (saxophones); Robert Mitchell (piano); Rio Kai (double bass); Romarna Campbell (drums). ‘A Modern-Day Jazz Story 1986 - 2026’.

Sun 14: Front Porch Band: Swing Tyne’s Swing Social @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations (£5.00. - £10.00. suggested). Swing dance event w. taster class (12:30pm).
Sun 14: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 14: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Doctor Jazz @ The Old Church, Sacriston, Durham. 3:00-5:00pm . Free (donations welcome). New Orleans, blues & classic 20th century songs. Food & soft drinks available, BYOB.
Sun 14: Eddie Gripper Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Gripper (piano); Clem Saynor (double bass); Patrick Barrett-Donlon (drums). Americana album tour.

Mon 15: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 15: Dan Johnson w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 16: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 16: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 18: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Russ Morgan Quartet @ Blaydon Jazz Club - March 16

© Ken Drew
Russ Morgan (drums); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion  (double bass) + Zoë Gilby (vocals)

Blaydon Jazz Club welcomed the return of Russ Morgan. Now exiled north of the border, drummer Russ made a major impact during his time on Tyneside and it was good to see him once again.* As ever, Russ was joined for the occasion by Harry Keeble (tenor sax), Mark Williams (guitar) and Andy Champion (double bass). 

© Ken Drew
Herbie Hancock's One Finger Snap, Jim Hall's Slam, that's where we were, in the eye of a 'modern jazz' storm. Four musicians, locked in, lots of counting in the head, or so it seemed, as a unit and as soloists, these guys are the business. Julian Nicholas' A Thousand Ships was given another workout and boy, Harry Keeble sure did take it to the cleaners!



© Ken Drew
John  Scofield's Don't Shoot the Messenger (Keeble and Williams' unison lines), Jim Hall's Frisell Frazzle, Pat Metheny's Soul Cowboy (Russ could dep for Bill Stewart in Metheny's trio!) to Carl Fischer's You've Changed with vocals by one Zoë Gilby. Yes, Zoë was in the house! Billie Holiday? No, Zoë Gilby! 

As the evening drew to a close, Russ thanked his band mates - what a band! - and went out on Branford Marsalis' Mr Steepe. Think Mr PC and you'll get an idea of the musical landscape Russ and the boys were exploring. Tremendous.        

© Ken Drew
* Russ Morgan will be on Tyneside again next month to play a lunchtime concert at the Lit & Phil. Friday 17th April is the date, however, the concert sold out quite some time ago. To enquire about returns, telephone the venue's reception desk on 0191 232 0192. Russell   
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