Olly Styles Trio Bring Saxophone-Led Jazz to The Globe, Newcastle

The Olly Styles Trio head to The Globe in Newcastle on Thursday 22 October 2026 for an evening built around the energy of a classic saxophone-led jazz group. Doors open at 7.30pm, with music advertised from 8.30pm to 10.15pm. Tenor saxophonist Olly Styles is joined by Paul Grainger on bass and John Hirst on drums, so the three musicians have no piano or guitar to fill out the harmony. That stripped-back line-up is one of the central reasons to catch this particular show.

Styles brings a mix of bebop, hard bop and contemporary influences to the group. In a chordless trio, the saxophone can take a tune in unexpected directions while bass and drums do much more than keep time. Grainger’s bass lines provide a melodic as well as rhythmic counterpoint, and Hirst has the freedom to respond directly to what the other two players are doing. The result can move quickly between tight, swinging passages and moments when the trio leaves a little more space around the music.

The band’s musical reference points include the smaller groups associated with Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Chet Baker and Lee Konitz. That does not mean this is a tribute show or a note-for-note recreation of anybody else’s repertoire. Instead, it gives listeners a useful idea of the sound: tenor saxophone out front, supported by a rhythm section that can turn on a sixpence. The advertised programme features two sets, which should allow the musicians to explore more than one side of that approach over the evening.

There is also a local connection in the line-up. Drummer John Hirst is a familiar presence on the North East jazz circuit, and hearing him in a trio rather than a larger ensemble gives the interaction between drums and saxophone particular prominence. For people who regularly attend The Globe’s jazz nights, this is a chance to hear a different instrumental balance in a venue where the audience is close enough to follow those musical exchanges.

The venue lists tickets through its linked Eventbrite booking page, with the price shown as £7.75 when checked. The Globe’s schedule gives the doors time as 7.30pm, music at 8.30pm and a planned finish of 10.15pm; treat these as the advertised times rather than individual set times. Check availability and any final changes at The Globe’s official Olly Styles Trio event page before travelling.