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

18918 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 782 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 18.) 61.

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.

Thu 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 24: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 24: Arun Ghosh @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £21.05. (£22.00. on the door). A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 24: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 25: Mark Williams Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Get the Blessing + Dilettante @ The Cluny (Cluny 2), Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00. + bf. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 25: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 26: Adam Fairhall & Johnny Hunter: Play Mary Lou Williams @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 26: John Pope Quintet + Urvashi @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.40. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Sun 27: Salty Dog @ The Cluny. 12:30pm (doors). Free (donations).
Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Zach Sewell-Lara Hopper Quintet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 27: Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. RESCHEDULED to Sunday 4 October.
Sun 27: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Alex Hitchcock Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Mon 28: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: Tenderly: The Life & Times of Nat ‘King’ Cole @ Hepscott Parish Hall. 7:30pm. . £15.00., £12.00. (Early Bird advance ticket), £10.00. Off-Broadway production feat. Duane Forrest.
Tue 29: Red Kites Jazz @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: Tenderly: The Life & Times of Nat ‘King’ Cole @ The Hearth, Horsley. 7:30pm. £15.00., £12.00. (Early Bird advance ticket), £10.00. Off-Broadway production feat. Duane Forrest.
Wed 30: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 30: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds + Juliana Day & Manon McCoy + Helen Anahita Wilson @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. A BBC Introducing-Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Thursday, September 03, 2026

Into September...

Looking at September's gigs, it's a varied month with something to suit most tastes. This coming weekend Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club once again welcomes Alligator Gumbo. The Yorkshire outfit is popular down on Larchfield Street. The best advice is to arrive early on Saturday (Sept. 6) for a half past twelve start. Sunday evening sees the regional debut of the Nils Kavanagh Trio at Newcastle Jazz Co-op HQ. Pianist Kavanagh will take to the stage with Ursula Harrison (bass) and Sam Green (drums).

Wednesday's Jazz North East promotion at Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle (that's Sept. 9) features NONUNONU. Yes, that's right, NONUNONU. Featuring guitarist Tim 'Bim' Williams, the trio's previous appearances at the Chillingham Road micro pub/bottle shop were rather good! Thursday (Sept. 10) across the Tyne at Gateshead's imposing Glasshouse, there is another opportunity to hear the high profile saxophonist Emma Rawicz, on this occasion with her all-star band. 

Friday lunchtime (Sept. 11), Bishop Auckland Jazz presents established vocalist Esther Bennett. This is a rare opportunity to catch Bennett in concert. Make your way to Bishop Auckland Methodist Church on Cockton Hill Road for a 1:00pm start, a tenner at the door. 

The Cluny (Sunday 13) sees Alligator Gumbo returning to the region for a late afternoon concert at five o'clock. Up the road on Railway Street (Newcastle Jazz Co-op HQ) at 8:00pm, Jazz North East presents a double bill featuring Eternal Triangle and Andy Champion. 

Thursday 17th, it's the toss of a coin. Miles 100 is Tom Atkinson's tip-of-the-hat to the man, Miles Davis. If you're familiar with the Jack Johnson album from electric-era Miles, you won't want to miss this one. However...at Pilgrim there is a first appearance on Tyneside by Romania's Amphitrio. Heads or tails? 

Danny Lowndes' Hot Club, Friday lunchtime (Sept. 18) at Newcastle's Lit & Phil is SOLD OUT. To enquire about returns, call 0191 232 0192. On Friday evening, there is the choice between contemporary jazz guitar at Sunderland Minster with the mercurial Mark Williams Trio or classic Hot Club swing at St Cuthbert's Centre, Crook featuring Hot Club du Nord. 

The Michael Young Trio returns to Sunderland's Engine Room on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 20). It's a two thirty start, free admission.

Monday 21st and Wednesday 23rd, ink them in the diary as the Lewis Watson Quartet salutes John Coltrane! First up, Monday at Blaydon Jazz Club at the recently refurbished Black Bull (8:00pm), followed by Newcastle's Lit & Phil (7:30pm). The latter just happens to be the exact centenary of the birth of Trane (born. 23. 9. 1925). It's been SOLD OUT for a couple of months or so.

Arun Ghosh is always a draw and on Thursday evening (Sept. 24) Gosforth Civic Theatre is likely to be busy. Friday lunchtime, Durham's Gala Theatre presents the Mark Williams Trio, at six o'clock on Saturday (Sept. 26), Adam Fairhall and Johnny Hunter explore the music of Mary Lou Williams at Byker's Cumberland Arms, Sunday afternoon (Sept. 27) Queen's Hall, Hexham it's the Zach Sewell-Lara Hopper Quintet. Finally, on Sunday evening, the Alex Hitchcock Quartet at Newcastle's Globe is one of many Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music Festival concerts across several venues 
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