Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise 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

18878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 742 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 4.) 21.

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

September.

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club. 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 09: NONUNONU @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE. Excellent trio.

Thu 10: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 10: Jacenaite All Crew @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 10: Emma Rawicz INKYRA @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.30. Sage Two. Line-up: Emma Rawicz (sax); Scottie Thompson (piano, keyboards, synth); David Preston (guitar); Kevin Glasgow (bass guitar); Jack Thomas (drums).

Fri 11: Esther Bennett @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £10.00. Esther Bennett (vocals); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass).
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £14.09 (inc. bf).

Sat 12: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 12: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26 (inc. bf).

Sun 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: King Bees @ Shape Patisserie, Darlington. 3:00pm. Free. Duo (Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor). A Rhythm & Blues Fringe event. Blues excellence.
Sun 13: Alligator Gumbo @ The Cluny. 5:00pm. £17.15.; £11.43; £5.72.
Sun 13: Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Saturday, August 29, 2026

Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Gala, Durham - Aug. 28

© Malcolm Sinclair
Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ben Lawrence (keyboards); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

A bank holiday weekend of competing attractions didn't deter the Jazz at the Gala faithful. A programme of Graham Hardy compositions, plus Clifford Brown's Daahoud and Romberg and Hammerstein's When I Grow Too Old to Dream, attracted a good crowd to the Gala Theatre's top floor studio space. 

John Bradford's N'Awlins drum pattern set up the opening number, Gumbo Time. The tune could be described as 'trade mark Hardy'. Indeed the Northern Monkeys would have some fun with this one. Step Five referenced the five note pentatonic scale. The musicians in the audience were hip to it, the rest of us took Hardy's word for it. 

© Malcolm Sinclair
Daahoud we knew, great playing all round: bandleader G. Hardy plus Messrs Ben Lawrence, Andy Champion and John Bradford. The Guidance of Gordon will forever hold special significance for Hardy. The late Gordon Marshall, trumpeter, teacher and friend to Graham, would have been knocked out by this one, Graham playing flugelhorn. 

Sting Jet, one of Hardy's newer compositions, the aforementioned When I Grow Too Old to Dream, this afternoon's set list was just a tad 'eclectic'. What's in a name?

To close out a most enjoyable afternoon, Muscat Ramble. No, not Muskrat, Muscat, you know, the capital of Oman. Four first rate musicians on the stand, first rate playing, an attentive audience, job done.

Next month's Jazz @ The Gala concert (Friday 25 September, 1:00pm) features the Mark Williams Trio. Book online at: www.galadurham.co.uk. Russell                  

Set list: Gumbo Time; Step Five; Daahoud; The Guidance of Gordon; Sting Jet; When I Grow Too Old to Dream; Muscat Ramble. 
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive