Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18897 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 11.) 40.

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

September.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 24: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. .

Fri 18: Danny Lownes’ Hot Club @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Mark Williams Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00., £5.00. student.
Fri 18: Rivkala + Beccy Sloan @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.
Sat 19: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner: Nina Simone. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 19: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Monday, March 02, 2026

Sunday night @ the Globe: Jack Littlewood Trio + Support _ March 1

© John Lyons
Marcus Dawe (keys, electronics, flute); Ifedi Osiyemi (bass guitar); Jack Littlewood (drums)The Globe was awash with students and the bar was doing good business. On stage Dawe, Osiyemi and Littlewood were known to us post-graduates from gigs with the Bold Big Band, the latter was also in the driving seat on Olly Styles' recent gig at the venue. 

© John Lyons
Opening up with Poinciana it only took a few bars to realise this was no ordinary piano, bass and drums trio but a supercharged, high octane fuelled powerhouse of sound. The decibels were off the scale. It was fff and then some. Nevertheless, as my ears adjusted I liked what they were putting down.

The material was a mix of originals and (sometimes) heavily disguised covers. Littlewood was inspired to write Cap 14 whilst watching the Winter Olympics and Time After Time which featured a bass intro from Osiyemi was drawn from an album by the Ray Brown Trio.

© John Lyons
Glasper's Awakening Dawn had a degree of tranquility about it, Spain was fast and furious and Pig Latin was Ofiyemi's contribution to the set.

Protocol had everything but the kitchen sink. Keyboards by Nord and Kawai, Korg synth, bass booming and kit kicking. We were enveloped in a quagmire of sound and the audience loved it!

© John Lyons
Wheatlands from Oscar Peterson's  Canadiana Suite soothed the savaged breast, a Littlewood original, Iberia, and a tune by Michael Mayo followed then the surprise of the evening. From out of nowhere Dawe produced a flute and played some scintillating choruses on, was it called Sleep In? On Kenny Garrett's Wayne's Thang we had more fine fluting.

© John Lyons
There were other numbers but by now you should have got the gist that, with these three players giving it their best shot, you have one helluva band! 


Lulu (vocals) and Theo (vocals, whistling and keys)

Earlier we had a pleasant support set from a voice/keyboard duo singing a varied selection of covers. It was their debut gig and with the enthusiastic support from their fellow students they can chalk it down as a success. Lance

Nightingale; Something Stupid; Both Sides Now; Dolphin; The Right Time; Red Moon; Harvest Moon.

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