Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18918 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 782 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 18.) 61.

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

September.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Tue 22: ???

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A John Coltrane Centenary Concert (b. 23. 09. 1926). SOLD OUT!
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 24: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 24: Arun Ghosh @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £21.05. (£22.00. on the door). A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 24: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 25: Mark Williams Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Get the Blessing + Dilettante @ The Cluny (Cluny 2), Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00. + bf. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 25: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 26: Adam Fairhall & Johnny Hunter: Play Mary Lou Williams @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 26: John Pope Quintet + Urvashi @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.40. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Sun 27: Salty Dog @ The Cluny. 12:30pm (doors). Free (donations).
Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Zach Sewell-Lara Hopper Quintet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. Ruth Lambert (vocals); Giles Strong (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Sun 27: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Alex Hitchcock Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Monday, June 22, 2026

Sunday night @ the Globe: the Magpies of Swing - June 21

© Sylvia
Neil Hopper (valve trombone, drums); Elise Hopper (vocals, drums); Lachlan Fotheringham (soprano sax, clarinet); Paul ?, Rachel Richman (alto sax); Fiona Finden (tenor sax, vocals); Stu Finden (baritone sax); ?, Polly Corbishley   (trumpets); Nigel Robson, David Gray (trombone); Alan Law (piano); Alex J. Gamble (guitar, vocals); Owen Jones, ? (bass); Kate Stebbing, Liv Worrell (vocals - pictured above)

When I first got into jazz it was like stepping through the looking glass into a wonderland of new (to me) sounds. It was fun, the music provided danceable rhythms, couples caressed and caroused. Come the morrow I'd have to explain the absence of my homework, but for now ...

Last night at the Globe was a bit like that - how could it not be with the Magpies of Swing or their parent group the House of the Black Gardenia?

© Sylvia
The room was crowded, many of them swing dancers strutting their stuff unknowingly paying tribute to Count Basie in Kansas City, Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club or King Oliver in Storyville. The important thing was they'd discovered the affinity that music and dance have with each other.

Among the soloists Stu Finden on baritone stood out closely followed by Lachlan Fotheringham on soprano and clarinet, trombones Robson and guest slider Gray blew with great gusto whilst Law, Jones and Gamble were solid in support. However, singling out individuals is unfair as each played a vital part. I didn't catch the name of the second alto, Paul? but he too seized the moment when it arose.

As always there was an abundance of singers from both in and out of the ranks: Kate Stebbing (Sunday; Dinah; I'm Beginning to See the Light).
Liv Worrell (All the Cats Join in; It's Only a Paper Moon; In a Mellow Tone; Sugar).
Alex J. Gamble (Russian Lullaby; Hole in the Ground).
Elise Hopper (Just Because You Can; Blue Drag; Lullaby of Birdland).
Fiona Finden (Lester Leaps in).

Instrumentals: Jive at Five; Petite Fleur (Lachlan); Perdido; C Jam Blues.

A hectic, yet relaxed evening - at least it was for us non-steppers! Lance
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