Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat 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

18994 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 858 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 12) 37.

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

October.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 4:45pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: NW FRQNC @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. Selina Albright, Gianni Vancini.
Wed 14: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 15: Leah Kirk: A Strange Affair @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Leah Kirk (vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 15: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. PJO w. guest Graham Hardy (trumpet).

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Ancient Infinity Orchestra @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 16: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01. adv.; £15.00. on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick. 8:00pm. Free.

Sat 17: SunOrbitUs @ Culture House, Sunderland. 11:00am - 5:00pm. Closing event in a year-long piece of music. 11:00am-1:00pm Improvisation workshop w. Faye MacCalman; 2:00-5:00pm Collective Improvised Performance by Sunderland residents. SOLD OUT!
Sat 17: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 17: Martin Taylor @ Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £48.72; £43.37. Solo guitar. SOLD OUT!

Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Jump jive.
Sun 18: Guisborough Big Band @ Redcar Rugby Club. 5:00-8:00pm. ‘Charity Big Band Birthday Bash’ in aid of Parkinson’s UK & Young Sounds UK. Free (donations on the door).
Sun 18: Martin Taylor @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £23.30. Solo guitar.
Sun 18: Ben Crosland Quartet with Steve Waterman @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Sue Ferris Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

De Beauvoir Town Jazz Festival: Closing Party @ The Scolt Head, London - July 12

Jack Jules (alto sax); Guilia Marro (clarinet, vocals): Tom Ward (piano); Ben Love (double bass); Luke McCarthy (drums) + Pete Horsfall (trumpet)

The Scolt Head was showing the Wimbledon Men's Singles Final (Sinner v. Zverev)*. Those with little or no interest in the SW 19 sporting climax sat in the pub's beer garden, crammed full under a relentless sun. Fresh from a guest appearance with Joe Webb's 7-A-Side, Jack Jules (aka Jack Murray) joined forces with Guilia Marro (clarinet and vocals) in a De Beauvoir Town Jazz Festival closing party blowout. 

Working with an ace rhythm section, comprising pianist Tom Ward, bassist Ben Love and drummer Luke McCarthy, Jack and Guilia - and no doubt the others - came up with a great selection of numbers, some seldom played, some almost never played, particularly on a gig like this. A mix of Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton, showtunes etc., the full house sitting on chairs, sitting on the floor and standing with pints in hand, roared its appreciation. 

Jack went for the bebop jugular, a mean 'Johnny Hodges' was in his bag, too. Guilia impressed, big time. Great clarinet and, for one so young, such assured vocals. If pianist Joe Webb is Numero Uno, Tom Ward is coming up fast on the blind side** - superb piano playing. Bass and drums - bassist Ben a recent visitor (with trumpeter James Borland) to Queen's Hall, Hexham and drummer Luke, a swinging rhythm section, if ever there was one. 

Ellington's Dual Highway, Ellington's I Didn't Know About You, Jack Jules as J. Hodges. Excellent. A Lot of Livin' to Do, Guilia singing with a joie de vivre. The quintet, joined by Pete Horsfall, added a certain frisson, Pete singing a joyful Jump for Joy. 

The second De Beauvoir Jazz Festival could be described as 'successful'. To do so would be to sell it short. Try 'resounding success'. Yes, that's more like it.              

* Sinner won in four. 

 ** Joe Webb would appreciate the sporting reference. Russell 

Set list included: Dual Highway; Just You, Just Me; I Didn't Know About You; Winin' Boy Blues; A Lot of Livin' to Do; Cake Walking Babies; Teach Me Tonight; Mighty Like the Blues; Jump for Joy. 
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