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

18721 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 585 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 18) 49

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

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 23: Side Café Orkestar @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Balkan, Hot Club, Klezmer.
Thu 23: 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 24: Lindsay Hannon Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 25: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. Cheek to Cheek - Ella Fitgerald. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Costa Café (within Next), MetroCentre, Gateshead. 2:00-3:00pm. Free.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Bright Street Big Band @ Sandhaven Amphitheatre, South Shields. 3.30-5.30pm.
Sun 26: Jo Harrop & Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.
Sun 26: King Bees @ Luckies, Jesmond, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Chicago blues.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: Liam & Shayo @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Liam Oliver (guitar), Shayo Oshodi (vocals).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thursday, July 23, 2026

Press release: Royal Albert Hall announces autumn series of Late Night Jazz

Courtesy of Rachel Knudson
After two packed winter and spring seasons of Late Night Jazz, the Royal Albert Hall has unveiled the next wave of acts to take to the Elgar Room stage across September and October 2026. With musicians hailing from countries including Peru, Korea, Sudan and Portugal, the 200-capacity venue will host one of its most diverse jazz programmes yet, with seven performances over five weeks.

First up in the autumn series is Tamar Osborn (Pictured) on Thursday 24 September. The saxophonist will celebrate the release of Varier: Berlin, the first instalment of Osborn’s Varier album cycle, and the first release under her own name, having been known previously as the creative force behind modal jazz ensemble Collocutor, with whom she released three critically acclaimed albums. Centred around the concepts of improvisation, collaboration and music for healing, Varier sees Tamar develop her exploratory approach to collaborative playing alongside some of the very best musicians in the global jazz and improvised scenes.

Two nights later (Saturday 26 September), the “Diva of the Sudanese Desert” (BBC News) and pioneer of Nubian jazz, singer Amira Kheir will be performing music inspired by her homeland of Sudan, and exploring jazz, soul, rock, desert blues and experimental music. The show is produced by Arts Canteen as part of Arab Women Artists Now (AWAN), the UK’s only contemporary multi-arts festival dedicated to showcasing Arab women’s artistic work.

Matt Todd, Director of Programming at the Royal Albert Hall, said, “We’re delighted to be bringing another packed season of Late Night Jazz shows to the Hall this autumn. We take great pride in giving a platform to some of London’s finest jazz musicians, and this season boasts our most global set of performers yet, with artists heralding from Sudan to Peru, to Korea, and everywhere in-between. It has been incredible to see this programme grow steadily to a point where rising international artists and groups are excited to be performing as part of the series.”

October sees London-based Leif Kaner-Lidströms (Thursday 1) and Xambi (Thursday 8) bring their virtuosities to the Elgar Room. Leif Kaner-Lidströms is best-known as a classical pianist, having established himself as a member of the boundary-pushing Levitation Orchestra, who release their third studio album later this year on 5db Records. Most recently, he has been releasing music as a solo artist through his album Swans, where he collaborated with his cellist father. Meanwhile, Xambi’s sound is a rich fusion of neo-soul, funk, rap, hip-hop, and jazz as their music blends bouncy basslines, drum grooves, dreamy guitar and piano chords - earning them comparisons to The Internet, The Isley Brothers, and D’Angelo.

The following week, on Thursday 15 October, Portuguese singer-songwriter Inês Loubet will blend Latin jazz, Tropicália, and soulful grooves as part of a Relaxed Late Night Jazz performance. Her 2024 debut album, Senga has earned critical acclaim for its heartfelt storytelling and Brazilian-inspired rhythms, with tracks championed by Jazz FM, BBC Radio 6 Music, and by Gilles Peterson on Worldwide FM. Relaxed performances are designed for people who feel more comfortable attending concerts in an informal environment and are adapted to reduce anxiety and create a supportive atmosphere.

Peruvian saxophonist, flautist and composer Allexa Nava has performed at prominent UK festivals Glastonbury, We Out Here, Wilderness, and Brainchild. Nava brings her contemporary jazz sound to the Hall on Thursday 22 October following her 2025 No Language EP being released via the influential Jazz Re:freshed label and gaining support from Jazz FM and BBC London Introducing.

Closing out the month, and the series, are Kyungso Park and Björn Meyer as part of the K-Music Festival on Thursday 29 October. Titled Resonating Spaces: A Sonic Dialogue Beyond Borders, the two artists will collaborate as the gayageum player Park and Swiss Music Prize-winning six-string bassist Björn Meyer expand the expressive worlds of strings, resonance and space.

Tickets for the autumn series of Late Night Jazz are available to buy now from the Royal Albert Hall website.

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