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. 2:00-4:00pm. 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.

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 

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