CD Review: Paul Bley, Gary Peacock, Paul Motian - When Will The Blues Leave

  Paul Bley (piano); Gary Peacock (double bass); Paul Motian (drums)    

(Review by Chris)

A gem from the ECM vaults, this time a live recording from 1999 in Switzerland of a trio of masters, led by the veteran Canadian poet of the piano, Paul Bley, who died in 2016.  It’s hard to imagine a more different approach to playing than the other Canadian maestro, Oscar Peterson: Bley eschews the obvious sentimental or romantic lines, famously stating “Anything you play twice is once too much”.    

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Hoochie Coochie - June 23.

(Review by Lance).

Never has the phrase 'hit the deck running' been more apt than at Hoochiee last night! SSBB did that and more on the opener Fast Cars the title of which would come back to bite me later on...

Spurred on by super-dep stickman McKeague this band wasn't smokin' it was burnin' and leader Lamb and guitarist PJ fanned the flames - phew, it's 'ot in 'ere! Things cooled down with a couple of vocals from Ms. Grace - Blue Skies and Mad About the Boy - our girl was in good voice on a night when she had to be! Jamie Toms blew tenor on Blue Skies. He too had to be on his metal for the next number - Grand Central.

Jazz '65

Delving 'among my souvenirs' I encountered this long forgotten and somewhat tattered programme of a concert at the Royal Festival Hall which I attended in 1965. As I recall I hired a Triumph Herald to drive down to London and I have cherished memories of that car and, of course, the concert!

The concert was promoted as part of The Commonwealth Arts Festival and so we had Maynard Ferguson (Canada), Joe Harriott (Jamaica), The Australian Jazz Players plus Johnny Dankworth, Cleo Laine and Tubby Hayes as the home team.

Book Review: Andrew Cartmel - Flip Back

(Review by Lance)

The Vinyl Detective is back! Accompanied by his lovely partner, Nevada, his best friend Tinkler and the unrequited love of the latter's life, Agatha DuBois-Kanes, also known as Clean Head, he sets off on a quest to locate a rare piece of vinyl.

Needless to say, the search doesn't start and end in a charity shop or a record fair, it's never that simple. There are murders and mysteries, even a suggestion of the occult and the dark arts and no one is quite what they seem to be.

Preview SSBB @ Hoochie Coochie

BSH has now clocked up 10,500 posts which is some kind of milestone (at times a millstone) and of which we are very proud. The actual post number 10,000 arrived around about Xmas 2018 which actually coincided with a review of Strictly Smokin' Big Band's Xmas Special at Hoochie Coochie. To be honest, it was probably post number 9,987 or thereabouts but, that's close enough for jazz!

So, as we head towards post number 11,000 it seems appropriate that SSBB should once more take centre stage.

Big Bear Spills the Beans

Jim Simpson of Big Bear Records has been involved in the music business for nearly 60 years, as musician, bandleader, promoter, record producer, festival director, manager, journalist and photographer. In his new book Don’t Worry ‘Bout The Bear, written with Ron Simpson, he spills the beans on some of the many memorable experiences he’s had in that time.

Details/order.

Jazz on 3 - Saturday 22

As usual on a Saturday Radio 3 offers a  choice of three jazz programmes. At four o'clock Alyn Shipton presents Jazz Record Requests followed at five o'clock by J to Z. Kevin Le Gendre introduces a concert performance by Billy Harper. The Cookers' tenor saxophonist is heard working with a British quintet which includes recent DJazz headliner, drummer Moses Boyd. The BBC's late night radio jazz fix comes courtesy of Geoffrey Smith's Jazz beginning at midnight. This week's subject is the pioneering bandleader Charlie Barnet.   

Russell 

CD Review: Rebecca Dumaine & the Dave Miller Combo - Chez Nous

Rebecca Dumaine (vocals); Dave Miller (piano); Chuck Bennett (bass); Bill Belasco (drums); Brad Buethe (guitar).

(Review by Lance).

Faultless! Once upon a time, this would have had me searching the Dictionary of Superlatives to describe what is a beautiful, swinging album. However, there are just so many wonderful singers rolling off the conveyer belt these days that it is almost impossible to single out any one of them as the best or the worst. If I did that today, chances are that tomorrow the positions would be reversed!

Make Music Day @ Darlington Market Square - June 21

(Report by Russell)

A long day - the summer solstice, and a big day - a long-in-the-planning nationwide initiative to get as many school children as possible playing an instrument, singing in a choir or in some other way participating in making music. Durham Music Service embraced the idea to the extent that across County Durham and Darlington no fewer than, wait for it...17,500 kids took part! 

Darlington Market Square basked in welcome sunshine as several ensembles performed to an appreciative shirt sleeve order audience. Two sets caught the eye (ear) from BSH's point of view. County Durham Youth Big Band conducted by Shaune Eland presented a short closing programme at the end of a long day. 

On Parole in Cullercoats Bay

North-east jazz bassist Alan Rudd (Classic Swing, Lickety Split etc.) kindly sent me this folksy YouTube clip. The duo is called On Parole and the song, Cullercoats Bay was composed by Alan's brother Steven.

It may not be jazz but I think it will appeal to those of our readers who are folk-musically inclined.

Lance

Alice Grace Trio @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall - June 21

Alice Grace (vocals); James Harrison (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass)

(Review by Russell)

At one o'clock, with no sign of Alice Grace, Messrs Harrison and Grainger opened the show with a diverting Take the A Train. Would it be a duo gig? One eye on the door, would our star vocalist make it in time? Strolling in, cool as a cucumber, Ms Grace didn't pause for breath as she picked up the verse, the boys didn't blink, was this a cool entrance or what?!

Verse, chorus, scat, Alice Grace is the tops when it comes to GASbook material. A light yet commanding vocal style, Ms Grace chose a fabulous selection of numbers to sing - one or two of them usually performed with the mighty Strictly Smokin' Big Band behind her - in the company of friends James Harrison, piano, and bassist Paul Grainger. 

Heller-Glendinning: Billie Meets Kurt @ the Globe - June 20

Gabi Heller (vocals, percussion); Steve Glendinning (guitar)

This could well be my gig of the month, or maybe of the year, time will tell. It was partly exquisite singing, brilliant guitar, partly an interesting lecture with no boring bits, and partly a piece of theatre. Three gigs for the price of one.

The theatre came first with a slow melancholy Good Morning Heartache, sung and acted feelingly, then Gabi went on to explain something of Billie Holliday's life, (born to a teenage mother and growing up in unfavourable circumstances, unhappy in love, early death caused by addictions), but what music she gave us! I'm A Stranger Here Myself introduced us to Kurt Weill, refugee fleeing Germany who ended up in New York. And Gabi pondered aloud about whether they ever met, which they could have done, in the only mixed-race jazz club in NY - Cafe Society.