Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18602 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 466 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 8) 17

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

June

Tue 09: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Tue 09: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 09: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 8:10pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.

Wed 10: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 10: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 10: John Garner & John Pope @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 11: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 11: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: MNO of the GASbook.
Thu 11: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 2:45pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Thu 11: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.
Thu 11: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Thu 11: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 11: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 11: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free

Fri 12: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 12: Pete Tanton & Alan Law @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Tanton (trumpet, vocals); Law (piano).
Fri 12: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Cleveland Bay Hotel, Eaglescliffe. 9:00pm. Free.

Sat 13: Ladies of Midnight Blue + Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington NE63 9YF. Free. From 10:00am. Ladies of Midnight Blue (3:00-3:45pm); Northern Monkey Brass Band (4:00-4:45pm).
Sat 13: Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 13: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Saltburn Bandstand. 2:30-4:30pm. Free.
Sat 13: Courtney Pine @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £35.80. Pine (saxophones); Robert Mitchell (piano); Rio Kai (double bass); Romarna Campbell (drums). ‘A Modern-Day Jazz Story 1986 - 2026’.

Sun 14: Front Porch Band: Swing Tyne’s Swing Social @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations (£5.00. - £10.00. suggested). Swing dance event w. taster class (12:30pm).
Sun 14: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 14: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Doctor Jazz @ The Old Church, Sacriston, Durham. 3:00-5:00pm . Free (donations welcome). New Orleans, blues & classic 20th century songs. Food & soft drinks available, BYOB.
Sun 14: Eddie Gripper Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Gripper (piano); Clem Saynor (double bass); Patrick Barrett-Donlon (drums). Americana album tour.

Mon 15: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 15: Dan Johnson w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Omid's Express & Take It to The Bridge @ The Chilli

Omid's Express: Omid Ramak (drums), Andrew Porritt (electric bass), Alan Law (keyboards), Matthew Office (guitar), Stuart Finden (tenor saxophone) & Fiona Littlewood (vocals). Take It To The Bridge: Dave Weisser (trumpet & vocals), Dougie Fielder (tenor saxophone), Jim Crinson (guitar), Barrie Ascroft (keyboards), Ivan Scutt (electric bass) & Rob Bates (drums) + Gaby (vocals) On a chilly night at the Chilli there was much entertainment on offer. Downstairs in the bar, with a perfect pint of Workie Ticket at hand, there was the satisfying spectacle on the big screen of Tottenham Hotspur being torn apart by Inter (some of us had backed the Milanese). then at half time it was time to go upstairs to hear some jazz. Seated in time to hear the first number, Weisser & Co. gave it to us just as we like it - Straight No Chaser. Dizzy's Woody 'n You was a good one with Dougie Fielder on form. Dave Weisser announced that he had recently celebrated a birthday. As the audience started to sing Happy Birthday Dave said 'Please, don't' - he'd prefer to look ahead and duly started to sing Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow. The Chilli being a jazz cats' haunt, this was an unwelcome development, which, thankfully, was cut short by bassist Ivan Scutt's plea - 'Let's play some jazz'. Dave said 'Okay, guys' and we got Jobim's classic bossa nova Wave with good vocals from the Main Man and Scutt soloing sympathetically. This week's guests Omid's Express, formed recently by young drummer Omid Ramak, was making its debut performance and we heard a varied programme with some interesting arrangements. Budvivarians Fiona Littlewood and Stuart Finden were out front and the back line was marshalled with good humour by band leader Ramak. New Budvivarian Alan Law played a blues-drenched intro and guitarist Matthew Office constructed the first of several tasteful solos as Ms. Littlewood opined Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You with tenorist Finden blowing authoritatively throughout. Other tunes included Well You Needn't, once again featuring good work from Littlewood and Law and bassist Andrew Porritt and the tired old warhorse Summertime was reinvigorated by the band and Finden got it just right - Paul Desmond with an edge. This was a promising debut. Ramak is one to watch, so too Office. A rapid return visit to the Chilli by Omid's Express seems more than likely. The evening's entertainment concluded with TITTB's late second set. Mainstay Barrie Ascroft played good piano on Bob Mintzer's Three Views of a Secret and Jim Crinson was in fine form all evening, not least on Tadd Dameron's Good Bait. An unexpected highlight (the unexpected is one of the highlights of a Chilli session) was a late, late appearance from Gaby. We heard her sing two classic tunes - Love Me Or Leave Me and Lady Sings The Blues. Excellent. Next week's guests: Alan Glen Trio. Russell
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