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

18844 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 708 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 27) 77.

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

Sun 30: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Tango Jazz Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

September.

Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 03: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Feat. Ian Bosworth (guitar); Ron Hampton (guitar); Riche Emmerson (tenor sax); Dan Johnson (tenor sax, alto sax); Garry Hadfield (keyboards); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Mark Hawkins (drums).

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: FUNK: new musicians collective @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.00. Line-up inc. Chris Caygill & Daniel Chandler.
Fri 04: The Upside + Lagos to Longbenton @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00. Ska, funk, Afro-fusion & more.

Sat 05: Alligator Gumbo @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 05: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Hartlepool Art Gallery. 4:00-6:15pm. £6.00. Concert performance. Tickets available from the venue - tel: 01429 869706.
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Monday, July 20, 2026

Giacomo Smith-Adrian Cox: Clarinet Summit @ De Beauvoir Jazz Festival, London - July 11

Giacomo Smith (clarinet); Adrian Cox (clarinet); Honey Boulton (guitar); Alex Gilson (double bass)

A long weekend in London. 30 degrees and more. The second De Beauvoir Jazz Festival (a first time visit for BSH), based in De Beauvoir Town, a district a little to the north of King's Cross, bounded by the Regent Canal and neighbouring Dalston/Hackney. 

On a seriously hot early Saturday evening, St Peter's Church offered refuge from a 'Mad dogs and Englishmen' burning sun. Globetrotting Adrian Cox breezed in with his trio (Honey Boulton, guitar, Alex Gilson, double bass), joining fellow clarinet star Giacomo Smith, our 'Clarinet Summit' duo intent on blowing up a storm. 

Every single pew occupied, the joint jam-packed, the erstwhile Kansas Smitty's boys set off at a ferocious pace: Panama, Avalon, woah! Slow down! A sensational, 'eggs-frying-on-the pavement' opening. Thunderous applause reverberated around the impressive the nineteenth century building. 

Thanks a Million sang Cox/Pops. And then, at an impossible tempo, High Society. More than perspiring, sweat was dripping off the end of Cox's nose. It was hot, alright! Cox and Smith the focal point, the boys in the engine room couldn't be bettered - Kiwi Honey Boulton (guitar) and Parisian Alex Gilson (string bass). Our duelling liquorice stick maestros, to an extent a contrast in styles, dovetailed seamlessly. 

Why? asked Cox, captivating it was. Ditto St Louis Blues, Cox the showman, standing, sans mic, projecting to all four corners. If there was a highlight, in truth, from first to last was a highlight, it had to be Tiger Rag. Rip-roaring, it was, with all four musicians tearing it up. Welcome to De Beauvoir. Russell  
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