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

18754 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 618 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 28) 82

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

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.
Wed 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ Music Dept., Durham University. 9:15pm. A Durham Fringe Festival event

Thu 30: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 30: 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 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Milne Glendinning Band @ Repas 7 by Night, Berwick. 8:00-9:00pm. £6.00. A Berwick Fringe Festival event. £6.00 (£6.00 wristband access to all Fringe events).

August

Sat 01: Jazz Weekend workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 9:30am. £95.00. Tutors: Nel Begley & Paul Edis: Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop. Day 1/2.
Sat 01: Jim Wright’s Rhythm Deluxe @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 01: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Saltburn Bandstand. 2:30-4:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Milne Glendinning Band @ Leonard’s Coffee House, Durham. 6:20pm. £7.00. A Durham Fringe Festival. 1/2.
Sat 01: Paul Skerritt Swing Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 8:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: The Swing Commanders @ The Amphitheatre, Stockton. 9:00-10:30pm. Free. Stockton International Riverside Festival.

Sun 02: Jazz Weekend workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 9:30am. £95.00. Tutors: Nel Begley & Paul Edis: Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop. Day 2/2.
Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Sue Ferris.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Milne Glendinning Band @ Leonard’s Coffee House, Durham. 6:20pm. £7.00. A Durham Fringe Festival event. 2/2.
Sun 02: Nel Begley & Paul Edis @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Mon 03: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 03: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 04: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

The Traveling Janes @ The Spice of Life, London - July 13

Ali Affleck (vocals, washboard); Lauryn Gould (tenor sax, clarinet); Emily Asher (trombone); Katie Cavera (banjo) & guest  Richard Pite (tuba, drums, ukulele)

Another sweltering day in the capital, Cambridge Circus as busy as ever. Best to wait for the 'green man' before attempting to cross Shaftesbury Avenue. The Spice of Life's cool (cooler) basement would offer welcome relief from the oppressive heat. 

Ali Affleck was in town with her Traveling Janes, this lunchtime gig the Janes' final date of their European tour. Scots-born Affleck works with a dizzying array of musician/bands. The Traveling Janes is one such outfit. Comprising of bandleader Affleck (washboard and vocals) and three all-American gals: Lauryn Gould (reeds), Emily Asher (trombone) and Katie Cavera (banjo) and, for this Cambridge Circus engagement only, a token male, Mr. Richard Pite (tuba, drums, ukulele and Spice of Life kingpin). 

Bandleader Affleck introduced the numbers, often sharing a thumbnail sketch of the tune - composer, recorded versions etc. My Walking Stick, When You Wore a Tulip, we'd heard them before, but why not hear them again?  Weeping Woman Blues (Ma Rainey), I Get the Blues When It Rains (no chance today), Emily singing her boyfriend's song Lazy Bones. Ms Asher considers Hoagy Carmichael to be her 'boyfriend'! All good fun, all well played, a typical Janes' gig. 

Second set: Margie, Love Song to a Chambermaid, Shine on Harvest Moon with its vocal harmonies, similarly When You Grow Too Old to Dream, Affleck's Traveling Janes were delivering the goods to the Monday lunchtime regulars. Salty Dog Blues, Rockin' Chair, Sister Kate, give 'em what they want. 

Our Americans - Lauryn, Emily and Katie - know their stuff alright. Seated, relaxed, whatever Ali called, they were up for it. An arrangement of Stephen Foster's Old Folks at Home, Sidney Bechet's Lay Your Racket and then an encore as Ali Affleck explored her Celtic heritage with a somewhat incongruous selection, I'll Tell Me Ma, her American sisters happy to sing along. The Spice of Life will see the Traveling Janes returning in the not too distant future, that's for sure. Russell 
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