Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18818 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 682 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 20) 51.

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

August

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Sat 22: Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham Alumni All Stars + Swing Manouche @ Darlington Market Place. From 1:00pm. Free. The All Stars (1:00pm); The Alumni (2:00-4:00pm); Swing Manouche (4:15pm).

Sun 23: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Royal Quays Marina, North Shields. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free..
Sun 23: Blue Note Quintet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00..
Sun 23: Timmy Allan Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 24: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 27: 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 27: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

The Tequila Slammers @ Anglesey Golf Club - April 21

Ray Brook  (flute); Neil Yates (trumpet, tenor sax); Huw Warren (keyboards); Joshua Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Johnny Hunter (drums)

A day trip to Anglesey in Wales is always a pleasure and never more so than when it is combined with a jazz gig. The Tequila Slammers are normally a quintet playing Latin jazz  formed by flute player Ray Brook an outfit I have seen play a few times at different venues in North Wales sometimes with different personnel. 

Huw Warren is an internationally renowned pianist and I was fortunate to catch Huw and also Neil playing twice in two days having seen them play at Llandudno Jazz Club on April 20. Johnny and Joshua both made the long journey from Manchester. Johnny is one of the very best UK drummers and Joshua seems to gig virtually every day and I last saw him a few days previously at Alsager Jazz Club playing with Emily Masser and the Dean Stockdale Trio. A brilliant band.

A packed venue thoroughly enjoyed the music from these high class musicians. All took great solos. 

The evening kicked off with Recado Bossa Nova  followed by a beautiful version of  Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise and I particularly enjoyed Ray’s solo. Next up was a glorious extended version of  jazz funk tune The Chicken by Pee Wee Ellis. The first set concluded with the Chick Corea tune Armando’s Rhumba which inter alia featured a magnificent drum solo by Johnny. You can see Johnny regularly on Fridays at Frederiks Wine Bar in Liverpool playing with the Secret Improvisers Club.

The tunes played in the second set are set out in the set list below. A thoughtful set list perfectly suited to the musicians on show. I always enjoy hearing Huw play and he did not disappoint. Huw was a teacher of Mercury Music Prize nominee Joe Webb who recently received Jazz FM’s award for best instrumentalist.

Hopefully jazz will return to this venue in the not too distant future. Richard Morris

Set list : Recardo Bossa Nova; Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise; The Chicken; After You’ve Gone; Armando’s Rhumba; Brazilian Nights; Caravan; Recorda Me; Cherokee

Anglesey Golf Club, Station Road, Rhosneigr, Anglesey LL64 5QX

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