CD Review: Worldservice Project – Fire in a Pet Shop

Dave Morecroft – Keyboards; Tim Ower – Saxophones; Raphael Clarkson – Trombone; Conor  Chaplin  - Bass; Neil Blandford – Drums

 (Review by Steve H.)

This is WSP’s second album and what a joy ! Blistering kickass new wave jazz with a sense of humour to boot.

We launch straight in to De-Frienders a frenzied start full of crash bang wallop what a picture. Next up the title track Fire in a Pet Shop which continues the excitement with plenty of baying and roaring as presumably the animals make their escape. Barmy Army   has the feel of a fairground  Klezmer style terrace chant whilst Villain of the Aeroplane evokes the feel of the ‘Bloody Red Baron’ soaring through the skies.

Slowlight Quartet @ The Star Inn, Westgate Rd., Newcastle. May 22.

Tom Quilliam (ten/sop); Paul Lorraine (keys); Ian Paterson (bs); Jonathon Marriott (dms).
(Review by Lance/Photos by James Sebright Photography).

The opener was neither slow nor light as Quilliam set the room on fire with an aggressive almost punk-like nonstop tenor blast that started on the intro and ended on the coda. No prisoners were taken.

A switch to soprano for a more mellifluous approach - at least for a while - before building  up for the kill until Lorraine brought it back from the brink and cooled it.

SAGE GATESHEAD UNVEILS PATRONS SUPPORTING FUNDRAISING APPEAL

Sage Gateshead has today announced big names from the world of arts, business, education and sport who are supporting its 10th Birthday Appeal. The Appeal is to raise a new endowment for the music centre, which is a registered charity, to coincide with its 10th birthday in December next year.

The Patrons include David Miliband, film producer Lord Puttnam and world record-breaking athlete Jonathan Edwards. From the world of business Sir Peter Vardy, Gary Lydiate, Louise Halbert and John Squires, and architect of Sage Gateshead Lord Foster. They join musicians Mark Knopfler, conductor Lorin Maazel andKathryn Tickell.

The Appeal is to raise £4 million in order to capitalise on the Arts Council’s 50 per cent match funding scheme, which will make every pound raised worth an additional 50p, generating an additional £2 million.

The money will help Sage Gateshead continue to bring the best international musicians to the North East as well as support new and emerging artists, build its international music education links and extend its urban arts training programme by bringing urban performers from across the world to Gateshead.  

New Band in the North East.

Just finished listening to a demo record by a new band The North East Four (NE4). Four good men and true - Paul Gowland (tenor sax); Ray Truscott (6 string electric bass); Alan Laws (piano); Paul Wight (drums).

A modern quartet that doesn't stray  too far from the contemporary mainstream. A couple of originals by Truscott  and a piece entitled Savoy Cabbage which is based on the Eddie Daniels/Gary Burton arrangement of Stomping at the Savoy are what's on the demo and it shows them off to advantage - well it would wouldn't it!

The Star, The Forum, Travellers Rest,.Splinter, Lit and Phil are some of the clubs/venues this band would easily slot into.

Interested parties email Ray Truscott - raytruscott@gmail.com.

Lance.
            

CD Review: Man Overboard - All Hands on Deck

Thomas Gould (vln); Ewan Bleach (clt/sax); Dave O'Brien (bs); Jean-Marie Fagon (gtr); Louisa Jones (vcl).
(Review by Lance).

Just imagine, if Grappelli and Goodman had got together, what the end product would have sounded like!

By closing your eyes and allowing a little (well quite a bit) of imagination it's reasonable to assume the outcome could have sounded like this.

Farewell Heather Jane Arthur

(Report by Lance)
It was an emotional occasion - how could it be anything else?  A woman so vibrant and caring taken so tragically from us. It was a fitting service of thanksgiving for the life of Heather Jane Arthur.
Those in attendance represented the many facets of Heather's interests including, of course, the north east jazz world.

Rebecca Parris Tells it Like it is (on F/b)

Roy Haynes is at Scullers this weekend. Drummers! Have you lost your minds??? Why each and every one of you within a 100 mile radius aren't fighting over seats amazes me. One of the MOST prolific musicians of our time with more energy and experience in his little finger than a million of your heads is sharing his energy with you. Get your arses to that box office promptly!

Preview: Two of us: Celebrating the Lennon and McCartney Songbook.

This Sunday (May 26 - 7:30pm) sees another blockbuster event coupling the Northern Sinfonia with the jazz and pop world at Sage Gateshead..

Two of Us: Celebrating the Lennon and McCartney Songbook..

Yes it may be aimed at The Beatles still considerable following but as the participants include Claire Martin and Joe Stilgoe (along with Mark McGann) this is going to appeal to a wider audience and even without John Wilson on baton it should still be an evening full of Liverpudlian lyrics and Merseyside music - hopefully with a few jazz gestures along the way.

Have a look at Sage Gateshead's link above to view a video showing clips from previous performances.
Lance.

Lewis West @ The Recital Room, Newcastle University. May 20, 2013

(Review by Russell)

Newcastle University’s Stage 2 Music Student End of Year Recitals are in full swing and today’s busy schedule ended with drummer Lewis West up for examination. Last week’s Finals Recitals featured guitarist Mike Papapavlou with West in a supporting role, today the roles were reversed with guitarist Mike only too pleased to return the favour. The presence of five string electric bassist Ruairidh Patfield made for something of a reunion as the amiable Irishman was also in on Mike’s session.

Ukulele River Girl Song by Gordon F. Phillips.

Ukulele River Girl Song

Down by the river when the moon’s above

It sent me crazy and it got me love,

I’m crazy for my ukulele girl.

Curtis Stigers @ Sage Gateshead

Curtis Stigers (vcl/gtr/ten/sop); James Scholfield (gtr).

What can I say? The guy pleased his fans, of which there were many, he strummed acoustic and blew some nice tenor on Centrepiece. He sang You Are Too Beautiful - arguably the best version ever outside of  Johnny Hartman -  and did ok on Body and Soul. So what what didn't float my boat? I don't know. I guess I wanted more sax, less  "Greatest Hits" although the applause that greeted these numbers indicated that I was in the minority!

James Scholfield played some great guitar backing and was worthy of a solo feature.

It was a good gig but the earth didn't move.

Lance.

PS: Rather sad that my itsy bitsy light pen (essential for writing a review in the dark) was taken to task whilst the camera flashers went scot free.

CD Review: Raquel Cepeda - I'm Confessin'

Bob Chadwick -  flutes; David Caceres - alto & tenor sax; Warren Sneed – tenor & soprano sax; Dennis Dotson  - trumpet; Paul English - piano, flugel horn, trumpet; Thomas Hulten  – trombone; Brennen Nase - guitar; Guil Fonseca - guitar; Jeffry Eckels - Bass; Dean Macomber  - drums; Jorge Orta - Cro-Cro, percussion; Tony Parana - percussion; James Metcalfe  - percussion; Marcia Sterling - violin; Oleg Sulyga  - violin; Dan Strba – viola; Shino Hayashi -  cello.

(Review by Debra).

Venezuelan  jazz singer Raquel Cepeda is now resident in Houston, on account of her day job (no doubt far better paid) , as a geologist in the Texas oil industry.  Her solo debut is of jazz standards and a number of South American   bossa  novas, sambas and boleros. 

Harambee Pasadia North East Saturday 25th to Sunday 26th May, 2013

Harambee Pasadia North East, is a unique all day and night celebration of music, food and fun for all the family.  Harambee literally means "all pull together" in Swahili, its an event in which invitations are spread predominately by word of mouth, and Pasadia means to spend the whole day.  This event is set on an idyllic Easington farm on Saturday May 25th to Sunday May 26th (with grounds opening at 11 am Saturday and closing 12 Noon on Sunday). 

Live music: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue, Afrodisiac, Nansady Keita Band, 10th Avenue Band

DJ: Volta 45, Zero dB, Ras Mike

For more information vist: Harambee Pasadia
For tickets visit: Wegottickets

When in Shields Do as the Romans Do!!

For time immemorial I have spent Saturday afternoons in South Shields. The open air market is legendary, the charity shops many and the books and CDs I have picked up - with the exception of Miles' On The Corner - well worth the journey. Today however, it rained so I took shelter in a pub - Arbeias.

This used to be the British Legion Club where Charlie McKie A.K.A. Chic Cole - a talented but temperamental pianist - resided during the 1970's. It later became a glitzy disco bar the name of which I forget.  But now it's a bar et brasserie...

Timecraft Tour Details

Timecraft is an exciting new octet that plays the compositions of drummer Dave Smyth. After a debut performance that featured iconic saxophonist Iain Ballamy as a special guest, the group are embarking on this seven date tour in June 2013 before heading into the studio to record their first album. 

Soul Snippets

North East guitar hero Lloyd Wright is now performing with South Shields pop/soul diva Lulu James and over the past couple of weeks the band have appeared on Later With Jools. Admittedly Lloyd's guitar plays second fiddle (!) to Lulu's legs and larynx but, nevertheless it's good seeing the boy get the exposure he deserves. Check it out here (The band are on circa 16 and 42 mins into the program).

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Another North East soul singer emerging from the pack is Sam Dickinson who impressed at Hoochie earlier this year. Sam's first album is due for release on June 3. Details here.
Lance.

CD Review: Caecilie Norby: Silent Ways

Caecilie Norby (vocal); Lars Danielsson (cello, bass, acoustic guitars, tambourine); Leszek Mozdzer (piano); Nguyen Le (electric guitars, electronics); Robert Mehmet Ikiz (drums, percussion); also Marius Neset (tenor and soprano sax)

(Review by Ann Alex)

This is a totally enjoyable CD, but it mostly doesn't have that certain feel of ‘jazz’ (I'm open to contradiction from anyone else who hears it), except for some jazz influence on 3 of the tracks. 

Danish Ms Norby sang in the classical music world until she was aged 14, when one day she heard Creedence Clearwater Revival at a school party, which changed her musical perspective.  Nowadays,  she prefers not to have much regard for musical genres.  

Glasgow Jazz Festival June 19 - June 27.

Full Program
Looks good!
Lance.

Soweto's Stolen Sax Surfaces

The Selmer Mark VI Alto that Soweto Kinch had stolen last month has been returned to its owner.
Details.
Lance.

Lindsay Hannon Plus Plus @ Hoochie Coochie May 16.

Lindsay Hannon (vcl); Paul Gowland (ten); Graham Hardy (tpt); Alex Leathard (tmb); James Harrison (pno); John Pope (bs); Mark Robertson (dms).

(Review by Lance)

Ironic that, as the Hoochie jazz nights draw to a close, the crowds increase and tonight was very well attended for a stonking session by Lindsay and her plus plus. The extra plus being the horn section of Gowland, Hardy and Leathard. Paul's had a busy 24 hours - Star the night previous, Uni gig this afternoon and this one. All brilliant in their own way.

Heather Arthur Funeral.

The funeral of Heather Arthur will take place on Tuesday May 21. It will be a private cremation. A memorial service will be held at 3pm on the same day at All Saints Church Gosforth.
Evening Chronicle.
Lance.

Mike Papapavlou’s Finals Recital @ Newcastle University. May 16, 2013

Mike Papapavlou (guitar) + accompanists Paul Gowland (tenor saxophone), Ruairidh Patfield (electric bass) & Lewis West (drums)

(Review by Russell)

Summer term is nearing its end. Cramming, late nights, its examinations time! In the  basement of the Music Studios on the main campus of Newcastle University a procession of final year music students were in the spotlight, no, make that under the microscope. At five o'clock jazz guitarist Mike Papapavlou stood on stage awaiting his turn. If he was nervous he didn't let it show. The examiners were delayed…five minutes, then ten. At a quarter past five they arrived, took their seats and it was all eyes (and ears) on Papapavlou. The place was packed. Was this a recital or a gig? If Mike wasn't nervous then some of us in the audience were!