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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Strictly Smokin’ quintet + House of the Black Gardenia @ Sunset Festival, Transmission Dynamics, Cramlington. 5:00-9:30pm. Free. Tickets: Eventbrite. Multi-bill.
Sat 04: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, Berwick. 8:00pm. Free.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Kevin Eland (trumpet).
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 07: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Sax on the Tyne @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.00. Feat. Sax on the Tyne & St George’s Community Choir.
Wed 08: Abbie Finn Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 09: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 09: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Saturday, June 06, 2026

Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox: The Future is Vintage @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead - June 4

Willie Ray Moore Jr. (MC, vocals); Effie Passero (vocals);  Tatum Langley (vocals); Katrina Lomis (vocals); Jacob Dupre (piano); Adam Kubota (MD, double bass, bass); Jack Amblin (drums, washboard, vocals); Kyle Morgan (tenor sax, clarinet, flute); JP Floyd (trombone, drums); Demi Remick (dancer) + others

Postmodern Jukebox, PMJ for short, is a global phenomenon. Touring worldwide, year round, often with two or three shows on stage at the same time somewhere on the planet. This evening, PMJ returned to Gateshead's Glasshouse. Earlier visits to Tyneside date from pre-Covid times when the riverfront venue was known as Sage Gateshead. 

The Future is Vintage, two hours, straight through, PMJ's legion of fans knew what to expect. A non-stop, all-singing, all-dancing revue, rehearsed to the nth degree, each and every member of the ensemble hitting their cues. 

From Hotel California to All About the Bass, MC Willie Ray Moore Jr. kept things moving along, whipping up his adoring audience, it wasn't too long before the Geordie faithful were all-singing and all-dancing themselves. PMJ vocalist Effie Passero has been onboard the Good Ship PMJ for the best part of ten years. Her lung-busting vocals much to the liking of the Glasshouse crowd. Hoofer Demi Remick has been 'hoofing' with PMJ for near enough a decade. Boy, she could tap dance, alright. 

The PMJ band, led by Adam Kubota, didn't miss a beat all night. Pianist Jacob Dupre proved to be a revelation. From the Crescent City, Dupre seemingly could play anything, a great player. Scott Bradlee's troupe were drawn from the aforementioned New Orleans, Chicago, New York and other US cities. Special mention for Welshman Jack Amblin. Touring with PMJ must be a thrill, his UK gig with the Washboard Resonators on the back burner. Holding down the drum  chair (most impressive), Amblin briefly took centre stage for an unusual 'scrubbing' and vocal take on It's Not Unusual. 

Earlier, London-based singer-songwriter Amelie (guitar, keyboards) entertained the arriving crowds. An all-original set, from What Colour is Love? to Colour Blind and more, Amelie's short set impressed her all-ears audience.   

If unalloyed entertainment is what you're after, look no further, Postmodern Jukebox is the show for you. PMJ will return and when they do, don't hesitate, book your seats, pronto! Russell          

Set list included: Hotel California; Thank You for the Music; Toxic; Copacabana (At the Copa); Die with a Smile; Super Mario Bros (tap dance medley); Red Right Hand; Radioactive; It's Not Unusual; Cantina Band; Wannabe; swing & tap medley; Die for You; Hallelujah; I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For; All About the Bass.
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