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

18767 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 631 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 31) 95.

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

Mon 10: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.Free.

Tue 11: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Abbie Finn Trio @ Sheepfolds, Sunderland. 5:00-10:00pm. Free. A National Macken Day event. AF3 on stage at 6:30pm. Tickets (free) from: www.eventbrite.co.uk.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 26
Wed 12: Jam session @ The tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 12: Look Left @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 13: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 13: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 27.
Thu 13: 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 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Friday, July 17, 2026

Jazz @ the Lit & Phil:Mejedi Owusu with the Francis Tulip Trio - July 17

© Sylvia
Mejedi Owusu (trumpet); Francis Tulip (guitar); Tommy Fuller (bass); Noah Stone (drums)

There are moments in jazz folklore that, over the years, have become etched in stone. The north east has its fair share: Members of the Basie band turning up for an after concert jam at Billy Botto's club in Byker. The amazing Polish band at the New Orleans Club on Forth Banks. Harry Connick Jr. sitting in at the old Jazz Café. They all provided examples of what Whitney Balliett described as "the sound of surprise".

© Pam
Never was that description more apt than at the Lit and Phil this afternoon.

This afternoon, Suffolk born, Juilliard (NYC) undergraduate, twenty year old trumpet ace Owusu, blew up the storm to end all storms. Closing my eyes I was hearing Fats Navarro, Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan and then some!

Opening with Kenny Dorham's inappropriately named Short Story, Owusu's blistering solo lasted just under ten minutes - Wow! I knew this was going to be good but, come on, I didn't think it could  (in my wildest dreams) be this good. Pinch me in case I am dreaming.

© Pam
Not that this was a one man show. Francis Tulip has, since he left Royal Birmingham Conservatoire for Trinity Laban, where his association with Owusu began, has developed into a leading figure in the UK jazz guitar world. This afternoon his solos and his support gave the trumpet player the ideal sidekick. Their unison passages sublime.

Fuller and Stone, like the other two, were also graduates of RBC. Fuller is now based in Basel and Stone in Oxfordshire and both slotted in comfortably. Both soloing without the need to showboat.


© Pam
This was sixty minutes that passed too too quickly.

We heard: Short Story; Old Milestones; 26-2; Airegin; Along Came Betty.

To avoid living a life of regret, although it's probably too late to catch them tonight there are other dates over the weekend - they really are unmissable! Lance

Fri 17: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.

Sat 18: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. 

Sun 19: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm

Mon 20: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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