Tonight on BBC4 - 9:00pm.

Nothing to do with jazz - no it's Chess. Not the record label but the game. A program on the enigmatic and ultimately tragic Chess Champion Bobby Fischer.

Why have I chosen to draw this program to your attention? Well, apart from sharing a birthday with the errant champion (March 9 - me, Mickey Spillane and Ornette Coleman) I'm also an occasional chess player myself as are many jazz people. Only yesterday I noted Tony Kofi commenting on Facebook about a chess game he was playing. Ronnie Scott and Dizzy were others who were known to have a liking for the game. Did I say game? Chess is war as this program will undoubtedly show.

In 1972, the Newcastle Big Band were heading for San Sebastian and the progress of the Fischer-Spassky World Championship was frequently the topic of conversation. Charlie Carmichael, Bill Shaw and I were also prone to a 64 square skirmish from time to time.

Chess and jazz have one thing in common - you can't hide. The pieces are in front of you - it's up to you what you do with them. Whether it's your move or your solo you either put up or shut up!

Lance.

Tommy Henderson Recalls...

Hi Lance...thanks for the e.mail re Derek Lambert who was Greys Club manager and a great fan of all the jazz type cabarets we backed there e.g: Cleo Lane - Annie Ross - Blossom Dearie - Ernestine Anderson - Marion Montgomery - Mark Murphy - Norma Winstone to name but a few.

Lately I've been in touch with Ron Chapman the guitarist and met up for a coffee and a chat after approx. 43years - Good memories - Thanks again Lance....

Best regards

Tommy Henderson...

ps enclosing another band photo taken at Greys Club (Derek Lambert is on left )

Related post.

Rahe - Rescue

Rather like this.

Lance.

New Residency for the Vieux Carré Jazzmen

A new weekly residency for the VCJ at The Millstone in South Gosforth, commences Thursday 8 December.

The VCJ played there recently and we've been invited to start a weekly session. The band really enjoyed playing there - good crowd, an enthusiastic and supportive manager and an very good room acoustically to play in. 

Brian

CD Review - Tony Crombie and his Friends: Whole Lotta Tony.

Tommy Whittle or Bobby Wellins (ten); Harold McNair (alt/fl); Gordon Beck (pno/hpsc); Malcolm Cecil (bs); Tony Crombie (dms). 1961.

In the days before Ronnie's the Flamingo on Wardour St was the place to be and I spent many a night as a callow youth enthralled by the music that was then so new to me. This long-awaited reissue from the old Ember label is more than welcome. Not only does it bring back memories of living and working in London but it also makes me realise just how much wonderful modern jazz was around at the time. Imagine taking bands like this one, The Jazz Couriers, The Eddie Thompson Trio, The Ronnie Ross Quintet for granted! I was in heaven and didn't know it!

I digress - the CD! Where do I begin? An early example of the late and very great Gordon Beck on piano (and harpsichord), Emcee Five bassist Malcolm Cecil, rare Harold McNair flute and alto, Tommy Whittle and Bobby Wellins blowing fine tenor and some truly melodic compositions from drummer/leader Crombie. That's right - a drummer thinking and writing melodically!

Seriously it's a great album proving that even 50 years ago, despite the tunnel-visioned British jazz critics of the time, British Jazz could compete on the world stage.

I wish I could look back in anger and be there all over again but, in the absence of a time machine, this disc will do very nicely thank you very much.

Lance.

PS: and Tommy and Bobby are still blowing great tenor!

Tony Crombie and his Friends - Whole Lotta Tony is due for release on December 5, 2011 on the Fantastic Voyage label.

Happy Birthday Pete Gilligan

Djangologie @ The Cherry Tree

Emma Fisk (vln); Jim Birkett, Giles Strong (gtr); Mick Shoulder (bs).

Given the nature of the music it seemed appropriate that I started with something French. As L'escargot wasn't on the menu I opted for Bayonne Ham, Celeriac Remoulade and Artichoke Crisps with Mustard Dressing. 

C'est si Bon! but the band decided on Coquette.

This gave them a swingy start with Emma taking us from Jesmond to Montmartre with Messieurs Birkett, Strong and Shoulder in tow before being released to find their own way to the get together on the steps of La Sacre Coeur. 

Djangologie comprise four major ingredients - Emma, Jim, Giles and Mick - that blend together perfectly to re-create the feeling of 1930's Paris. The chef performed a similar miracle when he put together the Pan Fried Chicken Supreme, Heritage Mash, Wild Mushrooms and Red Wine to create a 21st century culinary Jesmond achievement. The dish was as satisfyingly tasteful as Emma playing J'attendrai.

The two guitarists were Maccaferried and, unlike the original Hot Club Quintet, swapped lead and solos mid number to great effect. Monsieur Bassman kept it all together and I can think of nothing better than listening to Minor Swing whilst devouring Blackberry Créme Brulee with Chocolate Shortbread - a recipe for contentment.

Lance. 

Tonight at the Cherry Tree.

Tonight sees the return of Hot Club style music to the Cherry Tree Restaurant, Jesmond with the second visit of Djangologie. The quartet are a cut above most Django style bands with James Birkett and Emma Fisk faithfully recreating the music of Reinhardt and Grappelli albeit in their own distinctive style. Ably supported by Mick Shoulder on bass and Giles Strong on rhythm guitar this should make for an evening of sheer swing. Add the culinary delights from the kitchen and this will truly be an evening of Haute Cuisine and Corden Bleu musique.

Lance.

Cherry Tree Restaurant, 9 Osborne Rd., Jesmond. Tel 0191 2399924. Music 7:45pm.

Seb Pipe's Life Experience -Tonight's Splinter @ The Bridge offering.

Catch them tonight at The Bridge Hotel, Newcastle - 8:00pm.
Lance.

Any Jacky Denton tapes out there?

It is now 15 months since Jacky Denton left us for a gig at that over populated jazz club in the sky but the memory of his playing - never stopped swinging - and unique personality lives on. To help perpetuate that memory I've been asked by one of Jacky's family if I could locate any recordings of him. Now I'm sure there must be a few tapes stored in the lofts of our local north east jazz folk that are just gathering dust. If there are it would be appreciated if you let us know and perhaps they could be copied on to CD.

Lance.

Change of Day at the Bell and Bucket.

Please note that the Bell and Bucket lunchtime session is now on a Tuesday 1:00pm - 3:00pm instead of a Thursday.

The Bell and Bucket Quartet plus guests. Bell and Bucket, Norfolk St., North Shields Tuesday lunchtimes from 1:00pm - 3:00pm.

Lance.

Frank Brooker @ Blaydon Jazz Club. November 24th

Frank Brooker (tenor saxophone & clarinet), James Birkett (guitar), Jeremy McMurray (piano), Mick Shoulder (double bass) & Tim Johnston (drums) + Bradley Johnston & James Birkett (guitars)

November 24th could mean only one thing - Christmas party time! Yes, a bit early for the tinsel 'n' all that but after the Arctic conditions this time last year Blaydon Jazz Club decided to play safe and get in there early. Temperatures were positively balmy and a good number of Blaydon regulars turned out. A sumptious buffet was assured thanks to the efforts of many to bring an offering to the table. 

Yorkshire's Frank Brooker made the journey north to have a bite to eat and play some jazz. Straight ahead, mainstream, swinging jazz, call it what you like it was first rate from start to finish. Just Friends, Meditation, In a Mellotone and Benny Carter's Only Trust Your Heart were just some of the first set tunes Brooker invited his friend James Birkett to revisit in relaxed fashion. 

House pianist Jeremy McMurray, a first class soloist in his own right, together with bassist Mick Shoulder and Tim Johnston (drums) ensured the evening would swing tastefully either side of the interval culinary feast. Brooker took a vocal on Sometimes I'm Happy as Birkett excelled with an extended solo topped off by some tasty chords. As the band ran through Oleo pianist McMurray couldn't resist alluding to Santa's Big Day with snatches of Jingle Bells and White Christmas - Yo, Ho, Ho!. 

A musical interval dessert was lapped up by all present - James Birkett reunited with fellow guitarist Bradley Johnston to waltz through John Lewis' Skating in Central Park and then, metaphorically speaking, dashed off to Chick Corea's Spain to nonchalantly dash off Spain. Now, we've come to expect this of Birkett (a virtuoso musician) yet it was something else to hear Johnson, in his teenage years, get to grips with the tune and stamp his own spirited sound on the piece. 

Foodies sated, raffle done, the second set began with Brooker picking up his clarinet to play Kurt Weill's Speak Low and Ellington's I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart (the latter featured a tremendous bluesy solo from Birkett). Switching once more to tenor, Brooker and the boys really did play the blues on Wardell Gray's Twisted. Mick Shoulder featured on this one and it was pretty much  a case of solos all round. Gershwin's Our Love is Here to Stay had everyone Relaxin' at Blaydon (if not Camarillo) and then it was time for a road journey or two. As Brooker and the boys breezed along Route 66, I took my leave to race along the A695. 

Blaydon Jazz Club goes into hibernation until March of next year. Make a date in that new 2012 diary - Thursday 8th March - and get along to hear the roaring big band sounds of the Customs House Big Band with the incomparable Ruth Lambert.

Russell.    

Claire Kelly Quartet – Hoochie Coochie, Nov. 24

Claire Kelly (vocal); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (bass); Adrian Tilbrook (drums).

This was a thoroughly enjoyable gig, and an illustration of the development of a skilled woman singer, a great singer who is growing in confidence with every performance. The only drawback was that the sound wasn’t quite as good as it should have been during the first set, which must have been frustrating for the band. It has happened in previous weeks so perhaps it should be looked into.

Songs included were: a very sensitive At Long Last Love; the ballad (or bollard as Claire called it in her amusing chat) Mr Ugly; I Concentrate on You; I Cried for You, with an exceptional guitar solo where Mark seemed to be playing two tunes simultaneously. I especially liked the song choice of Rhode Island is Famous for You, a song which was new to me, which lists the products which are obtained from various states in the USA. A geography lesson in fact, and the tune was written by Blossom Dearie, so I’m informed.

The second set began with a funky, beaty Jody Grind, with great solos from all three instruments. Then Claire had the World on a String, with scat. Then came a surprise, a pop song from the Arctic Monkeys, When the Sun Goes Down, a song about a prostitute which Claire did well as a jazz song. This singer isn’t afraid to experiment with material and it’s working out well. She does upbeat stuff really well, as shown by Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My baby. Claire followed up by singing Aqua De Beber in Portuguese. By contrast came Pagan Love Song, with a very fast sort of walking bass, more like a bass doing the marathon. This song is normally a waltz – I said Claire was adventurous!

The set ended with an excellent blues, Unlucky Woman, a powerful performance with wonderful blues guitar from Mark. I’d love Claire to do a whole gig of blues, as she told me that she knows lots of blue songs.

And it goes without saying that the musicians did plentiful, great solos. A good evening.
Photos.

Ann Alex

Maine Street Jazzmen @ Rosie Malone's.

Olive Rudd (vcl); Herbie Hudson (tmb/hca/vcl); George Richardson (keys); Alan Rudd (bs); Mike Humble (dms).

A fairly routine outing for those jazzmen who dwell on Maine Street which, I hasten to add, isn't meant in any way to be derogatory.

Highlights included Olive's It Had to be You, Jim's I'm Gonna Get a Girl, Herbie's harp on C C Rider and George's omnipresent genius at the keyboard coupled with Mike and Alan's solid support throughout.

Business as usual.

Lance.

PS: Marston's Pedigree an additional attraction!

Searching for Summertime. BBC 4.

I hadn't realised that Summertime had been recorded 25,000 times making it the most recorded popular song ever! This program took us through the history of George Gershwin's classic from its Broadway beginnings in his ground-breaking opera Porgy and Bess via various recordings and the social changes it encompassed to the now legendary status it holds.

We heard Billie, Ella, Bird, Mahalia and various rock, salsa and beyond versions. Listening to all of these recordings leads me to suggest that the girls coming off the international vocal conveyor belt today think carefully before adding Summertime to their repertoire!

This is how Ella Fitzgerald does it...

Thanks again to Liz for drawing it to my attention.

Lance.

Tomorrow night it's Blaydon or Hoochie.

Tomorrow night at Blaydon sees the start of the Christmas Party season. Atrocious weather conditions meant that last years party had to be postponed until April by which time Santa's beard was considerably longer and greyer. Roly's taking no chances of a similar scenario this year hence the re-writing of the calendar to November 24 besides what's a month between friends!

Frank Brooker and the James Birkett Quartet provide the music which will make the journey westwards a worthwhile trip. Regulars will no doubt recall the previous gig by these five players earlier this year and look forward to a good night. Stomp off is at the slightly earlier time of 8:15 pm and admission is £6 including buffet.

Blaydon CIU Club, Garden St., Blaydon.

-----

Meanwhile, back at Hoochie Coochie, the increasingly in demand singer Claire Kelly and her Quartet are making their debut at what is rapidly becoming the hottest spot in town. If you haven't heard her yet now's the time to catch up. With Mark Williams (gtr), Andy Champion (bs) and Adrian Tilbrook (dms) giving support you can guarantee that it will mean a thing...

8:00pm. Free.

Lance.

Twisted - Annie Ross

If you ever want to learn the Wardell Gray tenor solo this is a great place to start!

Lance.

The Jazz Café Documentary

Follow this link for a fascinating look at owner Keith Crombie and Newcastle's unique Jazz Café.

Lance.

R.I.P Paul Motian

Sad to report the death of influential drummer Paul Motian earlier today. An innovative player who first came to prominence with the Bill Evans Trio in the late 1950's he was one of the earliest free players. Latterly his band the Electric Bebop Band included saxist Tony Malaby who played at The Sage last night with Enescu re-Imagined.

Paul Motian was 80.

New York Times obituary.

Lance.

CD Review - Sergio Mendes - Warner's Original Album Series.

Another of Warner's highly acclaimed Original Album Series - this time it's 5 albums in one package from Brazilian pianist Sergio Mendes.

The Swinger From Rio/ In Person at El Matador!/The Great Arrival/The Best of Brazil/Sergio Mendes' Favourite Things.

Difficult to know what to write about these. They're so brilliantly done, so tasteful, so well played and arranged - perfect is the word that came to mind and yet...

...Imagine someone gives you a box of chocolates and you pick one out and it's a coffee cream. Yummy! So you have another and it too is a coffee cream and so it goes on - they're all coffee creams. By the end of the box you never want to taste another coffee cream ever!

In other words, these are albums to dip into, play at a party or at a corporate as background music (muzak?) that won't offend or intrude and, if you hit lucky, as eine klein nachtmusik!

Don't blame it on the Bossa Nova and there are redeeming features in the form of Hubert Laws (flute), Phil Woods (alto), Art Farmer (flugel) who lift things to beyond the bland...

Lance.

Released November 21, 2011.

Enescu re-Imagined @ The Sage.

Tony Malaby (saxophones); Ralph Alessi (trumpet); Lucian Ban (piano); Mat Maneri (viola); Albrecht Maurer (violin); Drew Gress (bass); Mark Ferber (drums); Badal Roy (tabla).

This Jazz North East/Sage promotion intrigued me. I knew nothing of the Romanian composer until this week and wondered how his works would morph into the jazz genre.If it was going to happen the above guys would make it but I had reservations...

Prior to the concert I reflected on life and the arts. There was an exhibition going on with lots of people and lots of paintings. The guests were drinking wine and eating nibbles but few seemed to be looking at the actual paintings - even fewer were listening to Charles Gordon who was playing some wonderful jazz piano - to me his notes painted a 1000 pictures.

Anyhow,,, back to Bucharest.

It took me a long time to get into the music although it did create a desire to hear the original material in classical form.

The players obviously had love and affection for the work of Enescu and, gradually, that feeling emerged..

The soloists were respectful of the melodies and didn't create too much anarchy and indeed, at times, a little more anarchy would have been welcome!. .

And guess what? I came away, respecting, admiring and wanting to know more about Enescu whom Yehudi Menuhin described as the composer of the next century!

Lance.

Searching For Summertime

This looks interesting - Searching For Summertime. It's on BBC4, Wednesday Nov. 23 at 9:00pm. It's a look at Gershwin's immortal classic from Porgy and Bess and the many artists who have recorded it. Details here. 
Thanks to "Lady" Liz of York for spotting this one.
Lance.

Wilbur's Fate @ The Bridge Hotel. November 20th

Jordi Cooke (guitar), Matthew Forster (tenor saxophone & bass clarinet), John Pope (double bass) & David Francis (drums)

Splinter @ The Bridge invited Wilbur's Fate to the regular Sunday evening session to further develop a pad of original tunes. Guitarist/bandleader Jordi Cooke keeps on writing tunes as does his front line cohort Matthew Forster (tenor sax/bass clarinet). Cooke is a tune smith of hooks and riffs that are meat and drink to the bass and drums team of John Pope and David Francis. 

The first set included now familiar material in Animation of a Puppet and Praying Mantis with Cooke and Forster taking solos in turn. The set closer - When in Rome..- revealed Forster as a composer of tunes with a significant jazz element. A good first set. 

An interval pint of the excellent new house beer - Castle Brown - and a bit crack about jazz 'n' all that and it was time for the second set. John Pope laid down an excellent solo amidst a welter of tunes - Lost at Sea, Grinning Mouths and Absolute Destination. Drummer Francis had it all covered as Cooke stretched out as soloist (good to hear), as did Forster on tenor. Bass clarinet (with clip mic) at times can be a difficult instrument to hear in a group context such as this. Forster's facility on the instrument is not in question - finding the opportunity to play it to full effect is, perhaps, another matter. A good session and an attentive crowd. Check the listings into 2012 for more gigs by this young, developing quartet. 

Photos.

Russell . 

CD Review - Charles Mingus - Warner's Original Album Series.

Five classic albums in one package is something else indeed. The five discs from the Atlantic label are Pithecanthropus Erectus, Tonight At Noon, The Clown, Blues and Roots and Oh Yeah - Oh yeah this is verily a magnificent collection of some of the best work by a great band, composer and bassist (and pianist) - Charles Mingus.

How can you rate these other than 10 star plus? Each album, each track, each chorus, each bar is there to savour - these should be in every collection. I even love the cool narration by Jean Shepherd on The Clown. It brings back memories of drinking beer in The Kelly on a Wednesday afternoon with Bill Shaw, Charlie Carmichael and whichever musicians were footloose and thirsty at that time of day. Invariably we would troop back to our place and listen to LPs (Mingus was frequently on the turntable) whilst my long-suffering wife would serve us sobering coffee when she came home from work.

Oh Yeah is unique inasmuch as it is Mingus on piano and vocal (Doug Watkins on bass - how frightening must that have been for him?) Roland Kirk plays everything - usually all at once!
Blues and Roots - the churchy Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting with Booker Ervin and John Handy playing out of their skulls. My Jelly Roll Soul full of affectionate humour and respect for Jelly Roll Morton. Horace Parlan's piano, Jackie McLean, Jimmy Knepper...
Pithecanthropus Erectus - More McLean plus J.R.Montrose on tenor. A Foggy Day - complete with foghorns, police whistles, sirens, taxicab horns and, more importantly an atmospheric Jackie McLean solo.
Tonight at Noon - has some melodic Jimmy Knepper, as well as fiery Shafi Hadi and is a worthy member of this quintology of albums.Knepper, incidentally, was a tower of strength throughout as was drummer Danny Richmond and the leader himself. whose bass playing is still a yardstick today.
The 5 cd set - Charles Mingus Original Album Series - is available from Nov 28.
Lance.

Charles Gayle & Han Bennink @ The Lit and Phil. Nov. 18.

Charles Gayle (tenor, piano, clown shoes & cell phone) & Han Bennink (drums, skull, carpet & heating pipes) 

Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow! 

We free kings of jazz, do reign and pour upon you! 

Both Lear, both Fools - in a high energy bout of wit and wisdom, 

A searing exchange of beaten, blown and hammered banter, 

Han's the man who puts the boot in first, caught in the snare, 

Sticks flying faster than the speed of light,

He's Houdini, breaking out from the trap by raising a yogi leg,

He bites on a stick like a Jew's harp, as the jaw bridge drops,

I'm free's the message, ringing out in Morse from his skull,

His Samurai head band expands to avoid explosion and 

So crashes the cymbal of our time - ttschhhhynnngg!!

Wake up you fools!! this is no time like the present!

Charles Gayle, cheeks duly cracked, blown in rage against the storm,

Comes out for Round 2, yet sits hunched on his stool 

At the piano - black clown, white cheeks, red nose,

The patch explained, as his elbow nudges Stockhausen - clang!!

The bad tempered Klavier slams the lid on Monk's Well, You Needn't 

As he plods around the grand, in the longest clown shoes,

Shining like black Cadillac hoods, to play the part of Coltrane,

A mobile circus rings his cell phone - he takes the call, 

I told you not to call me at work - I'm a performing man!    

Then they for sudden joy did weep and I for sorrow sung, 

Such kings of jazz should play bo-peep and go the fools among. 

I asked a bloke in the Gents his thought, he said, Tonic for the soul!

(Apologies to Will Sh.... you know who!)

Photos.

George Milburn.

Tomorrow (Monday Nov. 21) Night at The Sage

This JNE/Sage promotion looks interesting.:

• Jazz North East & The Sage Gateshead present 

  ENESCU re-IMAGINED

  Tony Malaby (saxophones); Ralph Alessi (trumpet); Lucian Ban (piano); Mat Maneri (viola); Albrecht Maurer (violin); Drew Gress (bass); Mark Ferber (drums); Badal Roy (tabla)
  
  

  The contemporary classical composer George Enescu, who died in 1955, is little known in the UK (although an iconic figure in his native Romania), but the harmonic underpinnings of his work are very close to those of jazz, a fact recognised by expatriate pianist Lucian Ban, who pulled together this outstanding New York octet to re-interpret his music at the 2009 Enescu Festival in Bucharest. Ban subsequently took the project to Chicago and New York (where it made several critics’ ‘Gigs of the Year’ lists for 2010), and now comes to the Sage for one of only two UK performances – the other being at the London Jazz Festival. 
  Working at the edge of classical, jazz, and New York’s downtown scene, this has some affinities with Uri Caine’s acclaimed jazz take on Mahler, which came to Tyneside around a decade ago (also with Ralph Alessi on trumpet), but this may be even more of a revelation. Certainly you could hardly hope for a more exciting line-up, including, in addition to Alessi, storming reedsman Tony Malaby, viola virtuoso Mat Maneri, top bassist Drew Gress and one-time Miles Davis percussionist Badal Roy. It’s a band that would be worth hearing in any context, but in this exciting and adventurous project, it’s likely to give us an unforgettable event.

  ----- 

  The above is from the Jazz North East Facebook page.

  Lance.

Fiddlers Three

What a last three days this has been for fiddlers! Elaine Binney at Hoochie Coochie on Thursday, Elana James with the Hot Club of Cowtown last night at The Sage and  tonight it's Tim Kliphuis with Roly, Rollo and Keith at the Customs House, I opted out of this one - after a strenuous last few days.re-charging was essential and I reluctantly stayed in and settled for a glass or two of Chardonnay  and John Coltrane plays The Blues on the player.

Lance.

The After Hours Charles Gayle

Charles Gayle & Han Bennink played to a capacity audience at the Lit & Phil in Newcastle. Afterwards, as the audience wandered off into the night, stage lights were dimmed, chairs stacked and an assortment of cables and lights dismantled, Charles Gayle, a quiet man of proud bearing, sat down at the piano oblivious to the few barflies hanging around chatting over one last drink. The American visitor picked out a few chords, humming quietly to himself. What a Friend We Have in Jesus was the tune. 

The chatting ceased. The Lit & Phil's staff stood still, others returned to the music room and took a seat. This was a musician playing for himself. Stride piano, a blues, then Someday My Prince Will Come. You could hear a pin drop. Some bop phrases followed and developed into Miles' Four. That was it. Gayle stopped, satisfied with his practice. Cue a round of applause. Gayle looked round, shocked to see people listening to his playing. I didn't know anyone was there. I thought you'd all gone home said Gayle. It's such a privilege to be able to sit and play such a good piano he said.Anyway, I don't know any more tunes. He closed the lid, stood up and walked away. As someone remarked afterwards this impromptu performance was, in its self, worth the admission money. Agreed.

 Russell.

PS: A review of the actual gig will follow.

From Paris (France) to Paris (Kentucky) - The Hot Club of Cowtown @ The Sage, Gateshead.

Elana James (pictured left with our Ann Alexander) (violin/vocals);Whit Smith (vocals, guitar), and slap bass player Jake Erwin.

No wonder Bebop Spoken Here's Ann is smiling after Elana had autographed a CD for her - this had been one fantastic 3 tier full Hall 2 concert. And to think I'd been debating the other Sage option tonight i.e. Zappa Plays Zappa in Hall 1 - all 2 hours 30 minutes of it no interval'

No, this was a good call, the trio crossing the genres with ease. 

They played jazz a la Django/Stephane and country inspired by the Western Swing of, say, Bob Willis and the Playboys.

Listening to Elana and trying not to be distracted by her fascinating leg movements, I was reminded of the time when I first heard Hank Williams. I was 15 and just discovering jazz. There was a fiddle solo on the record which sounded pretty damn much like jazz to me although I was told it was Hillbilly music.

Well for me that "Hillbilly music" which became Country/Western Swing certainly had plenty jazz going for it tonight!

Elana is not only a fine fiddler but a super singer too. Exactly Like You, I Got It Bad, Oh Baby, Deed I Do, were just some of the jazzy items but even on the out and out country numbers she swung.

Whit Smith played Chet Atkins inspired guitar and sang in the country idiom. Guitar and fiddle were outstanding but the biggest ovation went to slap bass star Jake Erwin - his every slap and click brought the house down.

Loved every minute of tonight's show.

Lance.

Greg Spero - A Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition.

Saw Greg Spero play in March this year at Andy's jazz club in Chicago and thought he was absolutely  brilliant - the place was empty but I guess this is the problem with emerging young artists.

His first album was 'Radio over Miles' and was quite funky.

The latest is brilliant and much more thoughtful and melodic. Its called 'Acoustic' and it would be great to feature him on your blog. I think he's destined for big things and we should encourage the powers that be to get him over to the UK.

Listen to samples at http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/acoustic/id475005634 

and there's a good video on youtube at  http://youtu.be/5RQmsQtZN3c

David Gosling.

GABRIELE MIT DREI NEW BAND ON THE BLOCK – NOT TO BE MISSED!

Gabriele Heller (vocal); Paul Beck (piano); Steve Glendinning (guitar); Dave Parker (double bass).

This was the band’s debut, and what a great start to what will surely be a successful future.  Not only was there wonderful singing and musicianship, but there was an unusual set of songs and entertainment galore!

Gabi is an experienced actor who specialises in improvisation, which adds much to her singing.  She wore a most unusual outfit of black blouse and shorts, with a long red jacket in  18th century style, striped tights and black and white shoes.  This added to the atmosphere of a Berlin cabaret, as did the black backcloth on the stage, in the intimate upstairs room of the British Legion club at West Jesmond last night.

After a smooth instrumental beginning from the band, Gabi stepped up to invite us to the Dark Town Strutters Ball, which was acted well besides being sung.  This was followed by a bass solo opening for All or Nothing at All and then Imagination. Gabi’s linking remarks between songs worked well.  Then came the entertaining, sophisticated, upbeat Don’t Mess Around With Me, an original song.  The song included Gabi singing like a trumpet and the bass played slowly with the bow to end the song.  As Dave on the bass remarked to Gabi ‘ I wouldn’t mess around with you after that!’  All of Me, was followed by Broken Silence, which was an original tune by Steve, with interesting lyrics by Gabi, a list of things which can be either broken or crazy.

The second half included a bossa nova Little Boat, with a burst of Gabi’s extensive scat, a sensitive Good Morning Heartache, with superb solos from everyone, an upbeat original Never Too Late, with intriguing words, (‘It’s never too late to leave an Island’).  Then followed Marlene Dietrich’s Falling in Love Again, sung in German with scat.  Was the scat in German or English? Does it matter?  Then came a modern gospel song Slow Me Down Lord’, and a blues, Robert Johnson’s Come on in My Kitchen, followed by Inchworm, ( remember the Danny Kaye version?), with a slow introduction then a sudden speeding up.  After You’d be so Nice to Come Home to’, the audience shouted for an encore, which was a beautifully sensitive God Bless The Child’. 

I hope this conveys the atmosphere of this excellent gig.  You have to see them soon.  Catch them at the Jazz Cafe on Dec. 3; at Hexham Jazz Club on Dec. 6, or at Hoochie Coochie on Dec. 29.

Ann Alex.

Three Ringed Circus - Elaine Binney and the Jazz Rascals @ Hoochie Coochie

Elaine Binney (vln); Eliza Lawson (vcl); Steve Brown (keys); Keith Mills (bs); Jae Brooks (dms); Graham Robinson (ten). Plus: O.J (bs); Roger Gilroy (gtr); a trombonist, Street Dancers.

The Jazz Rascals are an ever evolving unit who always put on a show and Elaine is a fine fiddler who can swing with the best of them. Tonight was an example of the more outré side of her talents. We had just about everything - street dancers, guest horns, OJ the bass playing busker from Northumberland Street,  an acoustic guitarist, the under-used vocals of Eliza Lawson - even a little jazz. The packed room lapped it up and, after the street dancers interpretation of the band's version of Take 5, the floor was soon filled with gyrating couples - mainly women. 

It was all very entertaining and it's not often you see teenagers dancing to Ain't Misbehavin'!

However, I did feel there was something missing though. I know what it was - clowns - you must have clowns ...  ...jugglers and fire-eaters too.

An experience.

Photos.

Lance.

CD Review: Ben Williams - State of Art

A significant first album with his State of Art, celebrated bassist Ben Williams has given us a mellow flame to curl up in front of in our misty autumn darkness.

A graduate of Juilliard and reflectively nurtured by mentors, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Wynton Marsalis, his devotion and generosity radiates out from the heart of the album like a Yuletide log fire, along with reflections of his heroes, Miles, Monk, Duke, Bird and of course, Mingus.

I liked that the album isn't all about ME, with 6 tracks out of the 11 by other composers/songwriters, all lovingly crafted by Williams the arranger. 

I have to say I loved The Lee Morgan Story, by rap emcee John Robinson with a beautifully sidewinding tribute trumpet played by Christian Scott. This is jazz as storytelling with a latin, hip hop feel - the tragic tale of a horn legend cut down on stage...."It was a gun that ended his life....." fired by his own girlfriend - he was only 33.  

Home, Ben's opening track is a nice dark continental groove, drifting into Brazil. Some great clippy guitar work from Matthew Stevens against the cool tenor of Marcus Strickland left me wanting more.

Meanwhile I wasn't so sure about the treatment of the Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson tracks (Part Time Lover & Little Susie), not enough content to do justice to his arrangement skills in my opinion, although the short bass intro for the latter, credited to Ben, is blissful.

Overall it seems that Ben is maybe over modest and needs to really dive into his own pieces with as much ingenuity and gusto as he's devoted to the other arrangements. 

Speaking of which, the treatment of Goapele & Jeffry Bhasker's Things Don't Exist is superb with the string quartet woven skillfully into the frame with Strickland's soprano and Gerald Clayton's piano sounding like an unlikely duet between Garbarek and Bill Evans. Then a fitting finale with John Blackburn & Karl Suessdorf's Moonlight in Vermont - a wonderful tone poem with Ben on evocative electric bass and the perfect way to say goodnight. 

Thanks for this Ben, a great start to an album career!

George Milburn.

Ben Williams - State of Art now available on Concorde Jazz label.

London Jazz Festival Vocal Jazz Summit - Spice of Life.

Trudy Kerr/Nia Lynn/Anjali Perrin (vcl); Gareth Lochrane (flutes; Dave Whitford (bs); Barry Green (pno); Jim Hart (dms).

This was quite a night with a big queue to get into my favourite London jazz venue. Understandably so as, apart from the singers look at the guys in the band! Do you know a better flautist than Gareth? Barry Green, Dave and Jim Hart also cut the mustard - they should be employed by Colmans!

But tonight was singers' night and what singers!

Anj kicked off with A Weaver of Dreams and the others knew it was game on. You Must Believe in Spring, Yesterdays and On a Clear Day put down the bench mark. This diminutive chick sings good, scats without going over the top and, maybe it's because I'm reading a book about the lady, reminded me of Carmen McRae.

Next up Nia Lynn. Nia has a more contemporary sound and it was no surprise that her big hitter was Tom Waits' Soldier's Things - this one raised the bar a notch higher.

Enter Trudy Kerr.

Born to be Blue, Don't Get Around Much Anymore (dedicated to Michael Garrick), Waltz For Debby, Gladly, Madly, in Love and a wild Rhythm of Life possibly gave the nod but it was close and when the other two joined her for But Not For Me it ended honours even.

A tremendous night.
Photos. (More to follow from Anthony?)

Lance.

London Jazz Festival - Gwilym Simcock @ St. James's Church, Piccadilly.

Gwilym Simcock (solo piano).

After being caught up in the hustle and bustle of city folk going about the act of earning their daily bread it was good to relax. Firstly, in the Chandos pubwith a pint of Sam Smith's Old Brewery Bitter and a plate of fish and chips whilst reading a Carmen McRae biography purchased for £2.99. and secondly in St. James's Church, Piccadilly, in anticipation of a solo recital by Gwilym Simcock. I've had occasion to review Simcock several times recently - live with The Impossible Gentleman and on CD with his recent Mercury nominated release Good Days at Schloss Elmau. Much of today's material was from that disc and it stood up as well live as it did on record.

This personable young man has technique to spare and he demonstrated it admirably with the church's wonderful acoustics making this the perfect showcase.

On the CD I quoted Northern Smiles as being my favourite track (ok maybe I'm biased) and the packed church seemingly agreed awarding it the afternoon's biggest round of applause.

Can't wait to hear him again.

Lance.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum….

Actually not so funny – we got lost! Eventually finding it was a treat though as the show (Tuesday night in Billingham, and England on the telly – surely some mistake??) was fantastic! 

The old 1960’s show started with the words:

--"Something familiar, something peculiar, something for everyone….” And Jason Isaacs tonight put together two superb sets which lived up to that idea. Indeed with all the one-liners dotted about (mostly so bad they were good!), he could probably have claimed “a comedy tonight” as well!

For the “familiar” we had Rat Pack classics such as Sailing, Come Fly with Me and Mr. Bojangles; for those who liked an older vintage there was Cheek to Cheek or, for jazz-lovers a funky Summertime or, if you like more recent stuff (“something for everyone”) there was full-on Elvis in Vegas; “something(s) peculiar” came in the form of swing arrangements of For once in My Life and Wonderwall!! These last, both amazing to hear, proved that music, as long as it is GOOD music, has no boundaries and can forever be re-interpreted. The range, from Gershwin to Gallagher, all tackled with equal relish and with equal élan, had the audience clapping, finger-snapping, singing and bopping their way to three encores.

Apart from titles already mentioned Billingham swung to: Got You under My Skin, The Best is Yet to Come, That’s Life, It Don’t Mean a Thing if It Ain’t Got That Swing (nice “doo-wap” backing from The Fenner Sisters), One for My Baby and One More for the Road (nice piano, Paul Edis), Let There Be Love and many more.

You will have gathered from my exclamatory style that I loved this show: the “ingredients” were all first class. There were great songs with intelligent lyrics. The band was fabulous from first to last and the musicians so visibly enjoyed themselves that it all had the feel of a party. The late Dave Connolly would have been proud of them, I’m sure, and would have partied too. A huge sound when “giving it some” (the singer’s words, not mine), yet capable of subtlety and humour where required and with some great soloing along the way. The vocals were excellent – close your eyes and it could have been any of the originals, Sinatra, Bennett, Darin, Nat King Cole. The presentation was unfailingly engaging – Jason Isaacs is energetic (his high-kicks showed scant respect for health-and-safety), good-humoured, personable and boy, does he know how to work an audience! Even their singing on Minnie the Moocher and on The Wonder of You was mellifluous and moving (a bit, at least!).

So, although we got lost on the way home as well, we went home happily whistling Mack the Knife and hoping this show will be on again soon. If it is, we won’t miss it – nor should you.

Jerry.

London Jazz Festival - David Sanborn/Joey DeFrancesco. Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre.

David Sanborn (alt); Joey DeFrancesco (Hammond/tpt/vcl); Byron Landham (dms). Denise ?(vcl).

Alex Wilson (pno); Davide Mantovani (bs); Frank Tontoh (dms).

Matt Roberts Big Band.

This was one helluva gig! Pure blues and good old rock and roll with David Sanborn soaring way above where altos dare to fly. He was up there in the piccolosphere courtesy of some brilliant harmonics. When he returned to Earth for a blast on Basin Street Blues everyone in the packed hall went along with him (down the Mississippi).

Not that this was a one man show - DeFrancesco cranked up the Hammond and made it stonk! He did good on the pedals and even blew some Milesian muted trumpet whilst doing it! Oh and he sang/hollored Let The Good Times Roll. This was Louis Jordan territory and Sanborn and Joey cut it A+. Superb drummer whose name I didn't catch - difficult when the audience are clamouring for more - I think it was Byron Landham. For an encore a lady from St. Louis, resplendent in a gold lamé outfit scored with Everyday I Have The Blues - Joe Williams never looked this flamboyant!.

Earlier the Alex Wilson Trio opened the show with an impressive Cuban based set.

Even earlier, in the foyer, the Matt Roberts Big Band blew up a storm with some great arrangements and modern, contemporary soloists. They also had the sexiest trombone player this side of Mark Nightingale - sorry Mark it was no contest! (Emma Bassett pictured right.)

Lance.

Tisha's Train Ride

Today I took a trip on a train - the 11:28 from Newcastle Central en route to Kings Cross en route to the South Bank Centre for tonight's London Jazz Festival concert by David Sanborn and Joey DeFrancesco - to be precise. What could have been a routine journey turned out to be most enjoyable in the company of a lady - Tisha, short for Letitia, - who is herself a jazz fan. What's the odds on two jazz people finding themselves sitting opposite each other in a train of several hundred passengers? Admittedly Tisha was more trad orientated than myself but nevertheless it helped the journey along nicely. Thank you dear lady for your company and the peppermint sweet!

Lance.

Calling all bassmen

Until recently relocating to New York, Phil Donkin has been one of the most in demand up and coming young bass players on the European scene today. He has performed and recorded with some the most cutting edge musicians in the world. Since graduating from the Guildhall school of music in London some years ago, Phil has worked with many great UK musicians such as Kenny Wheeler, Julian Arguelles, Tim Garland, Stan Sulzmann and Gwilym Simcock to name a few. In more recent years Phil's reputation has spread beyond the UK and he has toured Europe with people such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Marc Copland, Bill Stewart, Greg Osby, Ari Hoenig, Jonathan Kreisberg, Terrell Stafford, David Binney, Tyshawn Sorey, Nils Wogram's Root 70 and many others. Phil has also performed with some jazz legends such as Quincy Jones, Roger Kellaway, Eddie Henderson, and John Abercrombie.

Phillip Donkin is in Sunderland until Nov 29 visiting family. He is available for one to one tuition or workshops. Interested parties please contact him on 07706 006 795.

Lance.

Preview - Lucian Ban - Enescu re-imagined

I quote:

Downtown New York meets contemporary classical, as a stunning group of leading jazz improvisers present a daring re-imagining of the works of Romanian violinist and composer George Enescu.Led by expatriate Romanian pianist Lucian Ban, and featuring such iconic artists as revolutionary viola player Mat Maneri and ex-Miles Davis percussionist Badal Roy, the octet first unveiled this project at the George Enescu Festival in Bucharest, and subsequently played a New York date that appeared in many critics' 'Best of Year' lists for 2010. Now Jazz North East joins The Sage Gateshead to present one of only two UK performances (the other being at the London Jazz Festival).

Working at the edge of classical, jazz and downtown improv, the ensemble re-interprets Enescu scores that reveal uncanny harmonic relationships with the jazz tradition while still presenting new challenges to the improvisers. Pianist Uri Caine did something similar with the works of Mahler around a decade ago (and played a packed gig at Live Theatre), but this is a still more exciting and adventurous revelation.

The concert is in partnership with the Romanian Cultural Institute www.icr.ro

----- 

It will be interesting that's for sure - can't wait!

      Lance.

      Monday Nov., 21, Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm. £13/£7.

The Real Maine Street Jazzmen @ The Porthole North Shields.

Ray Harley (tpt); Herbie Hudson (tmb/hca/vcl); Jim McBriarty (clt/vcl); George Richardson (pno); Alan Rudd (bs); Paul Smith (dms); Olive Rudd (vcl).

Don't get me wrong, even without Ray Harley the Maine Street mob put on a show every Thursday at Rosie Malone's but, cross over to the north side and hear them with Ray Harley on trumpet and it's even better. Plus today they had super-sub Paul Smith on drums which made for a very worthwhile ferry ride 'cross the Tyne.

Add to this the pleasure of meeting Alan's mum, wife of the late great ex Panama Jazzmen Pianist Norman Rudd, made the afternoon complete.

They'd pulled a good crowd of  "Silvers" and played some numbers we don't get on the South Side such as Riverboat Shuffle, At a Georgia Camp Meeting, Moose March and, from Olive, My Blue Heaven.

Very enjoyable afternoon which has set me up for a couple of days break in the capital.

Lance.

ACV @ The Bridge Hotel.

Andy Champion (bs); Graeme Wilson (ten/bar); Paul Edis (keys); Mark Williams (gtr); Adrian Tilbrook (dms).

In the beginning God created the Emcee Five. He said "Go and procreate modern jazz throughout the wilderness of Newcastle and take it to the fleshpots of London."

The five Emceans did that and won much acclaim.

The natives, they were taken and demanded more - even in the barren land known as The Side of the Tees - a river. From hence emerged a triumvirate of musicians who came in via the rear entrance and called themselves - Back Door!

Which leads me to apologise for the above nonsense except to say that ACV is surely the logical progression from those two bands and is the hottest local band around and, after their recent national tour, scrub local  - tomorrow The World and I ain't joking.

The gig at The Bridge was possibly the best I've ever heard them. Playing a mix of the familiar and not so familiar they delighted a well attended Splinter @ The Bridge Hotel audience. In a band like this it is impossible to single out individuals so take a collective bow guys.

Great session.

Photos by Jerry Edis.

Lance.

Radio Times

This week on Radio 3 there is a treat in store. Composer of the Week (12 noon Monday-Friday, repeated at 6:30 pm each evening) features that well known composer ''Bebop''. The five programmes should cover a lot of ground. Presenter Donald MacLeod is joined in the studio by Geoffrey Smith.

Starting on Tuesday (1:30 pm) over on Radio 4 is another in Ken Clarke's occasional series Ken Clarke's Jazz Greats. In this, the first of four programmes, the subject is Lee Morgan.

Russell.

CD Review: Keith Stephen's Trio and Caroline Irwin. "Attune......Or Two.

Keith Stephen (gtr/uke); Roly Veitch (gtr/vcl); Bruce Rollo (bs); Caroline Irwin (vcl/perc.) Mike Piggott (vln).

Several of the tracks were recorded live in the Old Ship Inn at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea during the summer. However, I must confess that, by closing my eyes, I found myself transported from the Northumberland coast to the River Seine where I was sipping un aperitif in a café on the Left Bank. The second world war may be imminent but with the Maginot Line and music like this who cares?

Wait a minute - this isn't Paris even though Mamselle Irwin chantez Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Morte) - this is today and Mike Piggott is keeping the Grappelli image alive with some fine swing fiddling whilst leader Stephen and his cohorts are doing the same for Django.
It's an enjoyable CD - Keith Stephen can slug it out with most of the better known gypsy guitarists aided and abetted by Roly's chordal support and Bruce's sympathetic bass-lines. Roly also kicks in with a couple of vocals (I Saw Stars and Sweet Sue) as well as his own pieces - Attune and Calypso Jim. Caroline, slots in nicely with idiomatic vocals culminating in Running Wild - You Like it Hot? You got it!
A special mention of Robbins' Nest - great tune - should be in every band's repertoire - well maybe not every band!
Audio samples. and info on purchase.
Recommended.
Lance.

Farewell Michael Garrick M.B.E.

The shock news has just reached me via LondonJazz of the death of Michael Garrick pictured here with our Ann Alex at a trio concert in Gateshead last year - the year he was made an M.B.E.

One of the most outstanding composers, arrangers, pianists in British, nay world, jazz Michael Garrick died yesterday on November 11 - another reason for remembering that date.

He was 78.

Sadly missed.

Lance.

Louise Gibbs and Five Pieces of Silver @ Musicon Durham Jazz Festival

Louise Gibbs (vcl); James Lancaster (tpt); John McKillup (ten); Zezo Olimpio (pno); Paul Baxter (bs); Paul Smith (dms).

The centerpiece of the Second Musicon Durham Jazz Festival - sandwiched in between John Taylor, last night, and Omar Puente, tomorrow - was this tribute to Horace Silver whose quintets gave birth to the Jazz Messengers back in the 1950s. This was about as tasty a filling as you'll find in any Jazz Sandwich! Two horns swinging like Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook and a rhythm section that could have been the Blue Note House Band made this a night to remember.

Oh yes! and there was also a singer...

Think Anita O'Day, Annie Ross, and you get an idea where Louise Gibbs is at although, having said that, she's very much her own gal. Soaring high, pitching perfectly, scatting, this was one of those evenings that gelled.

Sister Sadie, Tokyo Blues, Soulville, Song For My Father, Cool Eyes - the voice/bass duo intro was something else! - The Jody Grind (tenor and voice were blistering on this one).

Horace-scope. I loved everything but Horace-scope stood out! A great theme sung vocalese in unison with the horns. It reminded me of those wonderful sides by Charlie Ventura's Bop For The People Band with Roy Kral and Jackie Cain.

Senor Blues, Peace, Nica's Dream and a slightly hokey version of The Preacher showed us the way to go home!.

As a matter of interest, Louise is from New Zealand, pianist Olimpio hails from Brazil, drummer Smith (not 'wor' Paul Smith) is from Leeds, paradoxically, trumpet ace Lancaster is from York and Baxter Bass is currently keeping mean time in Greenwich whilst tenorman McKillup hails from Prudhoe. I wonder if he began his musical life in the Prudhoe School Band that performs regularly at big band festivals?

To make the evening complete, Russell, Tony and I got to chat with Louise.

Lance.

PS:Thank you Sandi Russell for making this festival happen.

PPS: An interesting sideshow occurred during the concert when someone, performing an act of nature in the upstairs toilet, omitted to pull down the blind...