Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 544 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 3) 8

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

July

Sat 11: Spanish City Rollers @ Community Stage: Mouth of the Tyne Festival, Front Street, Tynemouth. 12 noon. Free.
Sat 11: Jazz Stage: Mouth of the Tyne Festival (o/s Tynemouth Priory), Tynemouth. Free. Vieux Carré Jazzmen (12 noon); Rendezvous Jazz (1:00pm); Castillo Nuevo Trio (2:00pm); Classic Swing (3:00pm); Abbie Finn Trio (4:00pm). Day 1/2.
Sat 11: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 11: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Beehive, Hartley Lane, Earsdon NE25 0SZ. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. The Hot 4 with guest Colin Aitchison (trumpet, vocals).
Sat 11: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man + Adam Millington @ St John’s Chapel, Town Hall, Weardale DL13 1QF. 5:00pm (doors). £16.26., £10.84., £8.67., £5.42 (under 18).
Sat 11: Milne Glendinning Band @ Langley Tracks, Langley-on-Tyne. 5:30pm. POSTPONED!
Sat 11: Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm.
Sat 11: Karberry Big Band @ Forest Hall Social Club. 7:00pm. £7.00.
Sat 11: Ray Quinn: The King of Swing @ The Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.

Sun 12: Jazz Stage: Mouth of the Tyne Festival (o/s Tynemouth Priory), Tynemouth. Free. Trilogy of Four (11:00am); River City Jazzmen (12:10pm); Delta Prophets (1:20pm); B.O.C.K.S. Set (2:30pm); Mouth of the Tyne All Stars (3:40pm). Day 2/2.
Sun 12: Phantom Bagman + OUTRI @ The Bandstand, The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free.
Sun 12: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Easington Social Welfare Centre. 2:00-4:00pm. A Durham Brass Festival event.
Sun 12: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 12: Guisborough Big Band @ Zetland Park Methodist Church, Redcar. 2:00-4:00pm. Free. Charity gig in aid of Parkinson’s Society.
Sun 12: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: The Bridge Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 13: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 13: Shildon Little Brass Bash @ Locomotion, Shildon. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Mon 13: Quarrington Little Brass Bash @ Quarrington Community Centre. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.

Tue 14: Vieux Carre Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £15.00 (reservations: 0191 237 3697). ‘July Jazz Barbecue!’
Tue 14: Crook Little Brass Bash @ Crook Community Centre. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Tue 14: Barnard Castle Little Brass Bash @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Tue 14: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Tickets from Tully’s, Rothbury. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.
Tue 14: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Willington Big Brass Bash @ Town Park, Willington. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Wed 15: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Café Needle’s Eye, Promenade, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea NE64 6XE. 6:00pm. Free. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Side Café Orkestar @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00 (£11.00. adv.); £12.00 concs (£8.00. concs adv.).

Thu 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 16: Spennymoor Big Brash Bash @ Jubilee Park, Spennymoor. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Thu 16: Coxhoe Little Brass Bash @ Village Green (Pit Wheel). 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Thu 16: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Lollo Rosso, Morpeth. 7:30pm. Free. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.
Thu 16: Stevie Jay Duo @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Julija Jacenaite & Steve Glendinning.
Thu 16: DK Harrell @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00 + bf. USA blues.
Thu 16: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 17: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Seaham Big Brass Bash @ Terrace Green, Seaham. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Fri 17: Newton Aycliffe Big Brass Bash @ Town Park, Newton Aycliffe. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Fri 17: Ray Stubbs R&B Allstars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm.
Fri 17: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Repas 7 by Night, Berwick. 8:00pm. Free. Lollo Rosso, Morpeth. 8:00pm. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Press release: BBC Proms in the North East returns in 2026 with its biggest regional programme yet, spanning Gateshead, Sunderland and Middlesbrough

BBC Proms in the North East returns from 23-25 July 2026, marking its fifth year in the region and its biggest programme to date.

  • For the first time, the weekend spans three cities, with events across Gateshead, Sunderland and Middlesbrough, reflecting a growing North East‑wide music region.
  • Royal Northern Sinfonia sits at the heart of the festival, leading bold cross‑genre Proms performances alongside classical, contemporary, indie, folk, jazz and choral music.
  • Programme highlights include North East artists including Northumberland folk pioneers The Unthanks, and South Tyneside-born Nadine Shah, in her BBC Proms debut, alongside Royal Northern Sinfonia, a Sunderland Proms premiere by Mendelssohn, Morton Feldman’s Crippled Symmetry and a large‑scale choral gathering featuring the BBC Singers.
  • Accessible ticketing, emerging artist showcases and national BBC Radio 3 broadcasts continue the Proms’ commitment to reaching new audiences locally and sharing the region’s music‑making nationally. 

  • Thursday 23 July 2026 – Middlesbrough Town Hall 
    The Unthanks and friends, with Royal Northern Sinfonia 
    Time: 19:30 
    Broadcast: BBC Radio 3 (recorded for future broadcast) 
    Performers: The Unthanks, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Ellie Slorach (conductor) 

     

    Thursday 23 July 2026 – Sage Two, The Glasshouse 
    BBC Introducing Live at The Proms 
    Time: 20:00 
    Broadcast: BBC Radio 3 / BBC Introducing (recorded) 
    Performers: corto.alto, Maddie Ashman, ATFK 
    Presenter: Shakk (BBC Introducing) 

     

    Thursday 23 July 2026 – myplace, Middlesbrough 
    BBC Young Composer Workshops 
    Time: Various sessions 
    Participants: Young composers aged 12–18 
    Led by: BBC Young Composer artists and mentors 

     

    Friday 24 July 2026 – Sage Two, The Glasshouse 
    Crippled Symmetry 
    Time: 19:00 
    Broadcast: BBC Radio 3 (recorded for future broadcast) 
    Works: 
    Morton Feldman Crippled Symmetry 
    Performers: 
    Helena Gourd (flute, bass flute) 
    Jude Carlton (percussion)  
    Dinis Sousa (piano, celesta) 

     

    Friday 24 July 2026 – The Glasshouse Concourse 
    Nadine Shah and Royal Northern Sinfonia 
    Time: 21:00 
    Broadcast: BBC Radio 3 (live) 
    Performers: Nadine Shah, Royal Northern Sinfonia 
    Conductor: Ellie Slorach 

     

    Saturday 25 July 2026 – The Glasshouse Concourse 
    Choirs on the Concourse 
    Time: 16:00–19:00 
    Broadcast: BBC Radio 3 (recorded for future broadcast) 
     
    16:00-17:00 
    BBC Singers and Jess Gillam

    Charles Wood Hail, gladdening light 
    Hildegard von Bingen Alleluia, O virga mediatrix 
    Christian Forshaw My soul, there is a country 
    Shruthi Rajasekar Sat on the shore 
    Iain Farrington Like as the waves 
    Caroline Shaw and the swallow 
    Roderick Williams Never weather-beaten sail (BBC Commission, world premiere) 
    Alec Roth Night Prayer 
    John Tavener Song for Athene  
    Parry Lord let me know mine end

    17:20 – 17:50pm 
    Voices of the River’s Edge

    18.:10 – 18:55 
    BBC Singers and Chorus of RNS 
    Alfred Schnittke Concerto for Choir (sung in English)

    Performers: 
    Jess Gillam saxophone 
    BBC Singers 
    Sofi Jeannin conductor 
    Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia 
    Tim Burke chorus director 
    Voices of the River’s Edge 
    Simon Davies-Fidler choir director 

     

    Saturday 25 July 2026 – The Fire Station, Sunderland 
    Royal Northern Sinfonia: Mozart and Mendelssohn 
    Time: 19:30 
    Broadcast: BBC Radio 3 (live) 
    Works: 
    Grażyna Bacewicz Divertimento 
    Mendelssohn Concerto for Violin, Piano and Strings in D minor (first performance at the Proms) 
    Mozart Symphony No. 39 in E flat major 
     
    Performers: 
    Royal Northern Sinfonia 
    Christian Ihle Hadland piano 
    Maria Włoszczowska director, violin 

No comments :

Blog Archive