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

18699 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 573 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 11) 27

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

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’.

Sat 18: Streets of Brass @ Market Place, Durham City. 10:00am-4:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Sat 18: Brass Boat Cruise @ Boathouse, Elvet Bridge Jetty, Durham City. Departures at 10:30am, 12 noon, 1:30pm, 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £5.00 (all prices + bf). Durham Brass Festival. Various bands.
Sat 18: Party in the Park @ Wharton Park, Durham City. 5:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands. Entrance o/s Durham Railway Station (Northbound platform).
Sat 18: Zoë Gilby & Dean Stockdale @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm.
Sat 18: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00.
Sat 18: Tyne Valley Big Band + Revolutionaires @ Pelton Community Centre. 7:00pm. A Durham Brass Festival event.
Sat 18: Dale Storr @ The Straw Yard, The Barracks, Berwick. 7:30pm. £15.38. Solo piano.
Sat 18: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Red Lion Inn, Alnmouth. 8:30pm. Free. Lollo Rosso, Morpeth. 8:00pm. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.

Thursday, June 18, 2026

GoodGunn Creative, Inc. Announces the Release of “25 Years of Phatness." - An Album Celebrating the Genius of Gordon Goodwin and the Big Phat Band™

July 15, 2026 - Locust Valley, NY – Vangie Gunn-Goodwin in conjunction with GoodGunn Creative, Inc. has announced the impending release of “25 Years of Phatness.” This exciting new album features the Grammy® and Emmy®-winner, Gordon Goodwin and his Big Phat Band, along with vocalist Vangie Gunn-Goodwin performing 11 spectacular Gordon Goodwin compositions and arrangements.

This recording, the last recorded before Gordon’s tragic passing, is without doubt the most impactful of Gordon’s  and the Phat Band’s celebrated and award-winning career. With 11 tracks, including 8 previously unreleased and a trio updated by Gordon for 2026 is a stone killer,” stated Vangie Gunn-Goodwin. She added: “Gordon works were always not only brilliant and a platform for all of the great Phat Band members, but also a labor of love for him. This album continues to place Gordon in the pantheon as one of our greatest jazz composer/arrangers.”

Interview Contact: Vangie Gunn-Goodwin vangiegunnvocal@gmail.com  or Vangievocal@gmail.com

25 Years of Phatness:” delivers 11 exciting Big Phat Band tracks of which 3 are updated Goodwin classics – “Sing Sang Sung 25,” “Hunting Wabbits 25” and “Jazz Police 25.” There is a wonderful hip take on “A Taste of Honey” with Herb Alpert stopping by to join the band! The Phat Band ensemble is comprised of L.A.’s top studio players including Phat legends Wayne Bergeron, Andy Martin, Brian Sanlon and more recent members including Dan Kaneyuki and Aaron Janik 

“This project is one of the most exciting – and challenging – efforts Gordon has ever written for the band. Challenging? You bet. Killing woodwinds and screaming brass? Ditto,” Stated longtime Big Phat Band historian and renowned arranger/composer, Gio Washington-Wright. “The new material represents Gordon at the zenith of his most creative and his updated versions of Jazz Police, Sing Sang Sung and Hunting Wabbits will re-invigorate both the performers and listeners,” Washington-Wright added.

“25 Years of Phatness” will release on July 31on the GoodGunn Creative, Inc. label and will be available streamed and on CD and vinyl.

Gordon Goodwin was a renowned American jazz pianist, saxophonist, composer, and arranger, best known as the leader of the Grammy-winning Big Phat Band. He was a prominent figure in Los Angeles studio music, creating18-piece big band arrangements that blended swing with contemporary funk. Gordon started his career performing at Disneyland and later was commissioned to write shows for the Disney Company. He conceived and founded the 18-member ensemble in 1999 and it soon became a staple of modern big band jazz, renowned for technical prowess and tight, high-energy arrangements. Goodwin worked on over 80 productions, arranging and composing for movies such as The Incredibles (for which he earned a Grammy), Armageddon, National Treasure, Con Air, and Remember the Titans. He also composed for Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain. He worked with legendary artists including Ray Charles, Christina Aguilera, Quincy Jones, Johnny Mathis, and Natalie Cole. He also hosted the nationally syndicated jazz radio program, Phat Tracks with Gordon Goodwin.  He won 4 Grammy Awards and was nominated 25 times and won 3 Daytime Emmy Awards. He was recognized for his contribution to music education through his clinics and arrangements and method books. Goodwin passed away on December 8, 2025, at age 70 in Los Angeles. His legacy is eternal as long as his music is enjoyed by its listeners and as it played by musicians worldwide. 

Vangie Gunn-Goodwin is a highly accomplished American session singer, vocal contractor, and songwriter based in Southern California, renowned for her work in film, television, and video games. She is known as the lead singer of Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band and for her contributions to projects like Zootopia and Spider-Man: No Way Home. She has worked on hundreds of projects, including Family Guy, Phineas and Ferb ("Go Candace," "Evil Tonight"), World of Warcraft, and Call of Duty. She has been the lead singer for Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, appearing on albums like The Reset and The Gordian Knot. She has taught commercial music voice and directed choirs at various Southern California universities. Vangie has acted as a vocal consultant for Disneyland's Magic Music Days. 

Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band  has been a worldwide phenomenon, since Gordon’s founding the ensemble in 1999. Comprised of some of the greatest musicians in the Southern California area including Vangie Gunn-Goodwin, Wayne Bergeron, Dan Fornero, Ray Brinker, Brian Scanlon, Alex Iles, and many others, the band has released 12 best-selling albums. It has toured Japan, performing of  Gordon’s compositions and arrangements. The band’s 13th album 25 Years of Phatness is releasing this July.   

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