It's a busy October!

The first long weekend in October (Friday 2-Sunday 4) sees the culmination of this year's Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music (NFOJAiM). Some concerts are sold out, others are close to being sold out. Details at: facebook.com/newcastlefestivalofjazzandimprovisedmusic. 

Apphia Campbell's one-woman stage play Black is the Color of My Voice return to the region on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th at Northern Stage, Newcastle. Telling the story of Nina Simone, it's a gripping account of Simone's music and activism. Book at: www.northernstage.co.uk.   

At two o'clock on Tuesday 6th, pianist Alan Law begins a new, weekly residency at Whitley Bay's Ticket Office. Alan's guest will be Paul Grainger (double bass). Friday 9th, Bishop Auckland Jazz presents the Dean Stockdale Trio (1pm), £9.00. at the door. 

Trumpeter Jack 'Banjo' Courtney made a big impression at the recent Miles 100 gig at the Globe. On Sunday (October 11th), Banjo joins the Michael Young Trio at Sunderland's Engine Room (2:30pm). Also on Sunday, guitarist Harry Christelis makes a first visit to Newcastle Jazz Co-op HQ on Railway Street. Catch Christelis' quartet in action from 8pm. Book at: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.  

Blyth's Yamaha Music School's autumn concert programme is up and running and on Monday 12th the Jack Pearce Quintet will be on stage at 1:00pm. Tickets from: www.neyamaha.uk. Tuesday evening (13th) head down to Newcastle Arts Centre to hear recent graduate Leah Kirk sing. 7:30pm start, free admission, a jar on the bar. Recommended.

The great Martin Taylor is currently touring the world with his solo guitar show. You've got not one, but two opportunities to hear Taylor, first at, of all places, Bowes Museum (Saturday 17th) and the following evening at Gateshead's Glasshouse. Book for one or the other, perhaps both, at: www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk and/or www.theglasshouseicm.org. 

And on Sunday evening (October 18th), the Globe, Newcastle presents the Ben Crosland Quartet with special guest, Steve Waterman (trumpet). Book at: www.theglobenewcastle.bar. 

What are you doing on Wednesday 21st? It's either Central Bar, Gateshead for the Evan Parker-Steve Swell Quartet (8:00pm), or just over the Tyne at the Cluny, De'Sean Jones of Urban Art Orchestra fame. The choice is yours.   

Bandstand! Where's that? Well, not the bandstand in Exhibition Park, Newcastle, rather the recently-reopened cafe, adjacent to the Victorian bandstand. On Thursday 22nd, the Dean Stockdale Trio will be in concert (inside) at Bandstand! Book via Instagram. On the same evening, local heroes Knats will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of last year's Mercury Prize winner, Sam Fender. All roads lead to Newcastle's Utilita Arena (and Exhibition Park!). 

And then we get to a very busy long weekend...Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th. Vocalist Sara Oschlag visits the region in the company of bassist Arnie Somogyi to play no fewer than four gigs: Friday 23rd: Newcastle's Lit & Phil (lunchtime) & Sunderland's Ship Isis (evening); Sunday 25th): Queen's Hall, Hexham (afternoon) & Newcastle's Globe (evening). Oschlag and Somogyi will be accompanied, variously, by Ben Lawrence (piano), John Hirst (drums) and Richard Wetherall (piano). Russell

And that's not all. Over the same three day period it's the first Durham Jazz Festival (see image). In summary, there will be numerous concert performances at several venues city-wide. Some of the concerts have been sold out for a while, others are close to being sold out. To get an idea of the breadth and depth of the festival and to book, log on to www.durhamjazzfestival.co.uk.