Update on Sarah Moule's Stormy Emotions

 (Press release)

‘Moule captures every nuance of the late great lyricist’s words, beautifully set by Simon Wallace’ Dave Gelly, The Observer

‘Long established as one of the best jazz singers in the country’   Helen Mayhew JazzFM (UK)

‘This is an equilateral triangle that is just so perfectly balanced – words, music, voice. Each one enhancing the other with some icing on the cake from Wallace’s piano, Lockheart, Price, Cawood, bassists Hutton and Malcolm and drummers Robinson and Youngs’ Lance Liddle, Bebopspokenhere

‘Sarah Moule has a voice that inspires and comforts at the same time. The quality of her vocals makes you realize all is well in the jazz world…Altogether a simply wonderful album’  Sammy Stein, SomethingElse

Ten 10" Albums I still play (occasionally). 7. MJQ -- the classic performances of the Modern Jazz Quartet

The early 1950s saw the influx of jazz chamber music by such groups as the quartets of Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan and Milt Jackson, the latter group becoming The Modern Jazz Quartet or,  as it soon became better known as, the MJQ. That it was musically brilliant was without question, that it could also be boring is again, at times, without question. I recall seeing them at Newcastle's City Hall with pianist, bassist and local jazz critic the late Brian Fisher who, after a couple of numbers, closed his eyes and said, "wake me up when the hearse arrives!"

Rachael Cohen Quintet Livestreaming the music of Jackie McLean & Lee Morgan from Ronnie Scott's - April 19

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)

Rachael Cohen (alto sax); Mark Kavuma (trumpet); Deschanel Gordon (piano); Dan Casimar (bass); Shane Forbes (drums).

This was near enough about as good as it gets! An excellent set with five players at the top of their game putting their own take on some of the recordings by Jackie McLean and Lee Morgan. Classics recorded on Blue Note that have stood the test of time and, in doing so, provided material for tonight's stars to build upon and make their own.

Cohen's playing is, to put it mildly, absolutely sensational. Jackie McLean is alive and well in her hands - You looking for a jazz alto sax player? look no further!

Identification required

Is there anyone out there who can identify this soprano sax player? The photo is probably circa early 1990s and may have been a publicity shot sent prior to a gig at Newcastle's Live Theatre although Dave Clarke, who seeks the information, thinks he probably wasn't from the local area. Lance

The Geordie Jazzwise.

(Photo by Ken Drew)

Just as the 1953 F A Cup Final became known as "The Matthews Final"  - so called after Sir Stanley Matthews, then just plain Stan, whose Blackpool team beat Bolton Wanderers,* in years to come, the May 2021 issue of Jazzwise magazine could well be known as "The Gilby Jazzwise". Not only does the 2019 APPJAG winning vocalist's photograph appear on the magazine's page 3 - no it's not that kind of page 3 - there's also an interview with her as well as a four star review of her album Living in Shadows.

Album review: Chris Potter Circuits Trio - Sunrise Reprise

Chris Potter (tenor/soprano saxes, clarinets, flutes, sampler/keys); James Francies (piano, keys); Eric Harland (drums)

A slew of terrific sax players have plied their trade on livestreams and recordings in this last strangest year ever. I was curious then, how Chris Potter, widely touted as top titan of the tenor - post Michael Brecker - would sound to my ears after hearing some quite unbelievable playing from both sides of the Atlantic. From Stateside the likes of Wendell, Lovano and Redman as well as our own Trish Clowes, Alec Harper, Vasilis Xenopoulos, Harry Keeble and others.  On the evidence of this Edition Records follow up to his 2019 Circuits trio album, recorded in a short window of freedom in late 2020, I have to say he has a strong claim to top spot!

Ten 10" Albums I still play (occasionally). 6: Jazz Today - Operation Jam Session

National Service, RAF Manby, 1957. A fellow conscript, Dave Yeldham from Sheffield (anybody in Sheffield remember Dave? Is he still around?), brought in this Jazz Today album. I was blown apart, this was fantastic! I think I bought it from him with my life-savings which, at the time was probably about ten bob - or maybe I just bought him a pint, can't remember, it was a long time ago.

However, the album, the sleeve now tattered and torn, is one I still play - probably more frequently than any of the others in this series.

It's, in a sense, like an opera or a symphony building up to a grand finale.

Sunday Night @ the Globe: Abbie Finn Finntet - livestream April 18

(Screenshot by Lance)

Abbie Finn (drums); Graham Hardy (trumpet); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Dean Stockdale (piano); Paul Grainger (bass).

A cracking session, very much in the Jazz Messengers' mode which is not surprising as that band provided the template for the many hard bop bands that followed. The EmCee 5 was one north east band who took up the baton. Another was Don Forbes's Safe Sextet, one of several others who carried it for a while and now it's in the very capable hands of the Abbie Finn Finntet.

Who's on today's edition of JRR? (April 18)

Today's edition of Jazz Record Requests includes a track by a musician well known to regular readers of BSH. Musician/composer/arranger...who could it be? And, who requested the track? There's one way to find out, tune to BBC Radio 3 at four o'clock when presenter Alyn Shipton will tell you all about it! Russell.

Ten 10" Albums I still play (occasionally). 5: Hot Versus Cool

There was this little shop which I'd frequent that sold second hand books and records. Sometimes the books were in plain brown wrappers and usually supplied, with a nod and a wink, from under the counter. Such shops are, I think, now long gone although no doubt flourishing on the internet via Amazon and eBay.

It was in this small shop that the proprietress said to me, "I've got something hot for you". she gave an enigmatic smile and my virginal teenage loins responded in anticipation. Was this a smuggled in copy of Lady Chatterley's Lover or maybe Hank Janson's latest?

No, it was, in retrospect, better than either - it was the above album.

Kansas Smitty's playback Clifford Brown & Max Roach - April 17

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)

Alex Ridout (trumpet); Giacomo Smith (tenor sax); Joe Webb (piano); Daisy George (double bass); Jas Kayser (drums) 

Alex Ridout as Clifford Brown, Giacomo Smith, on tenor sax, playing the part of Harold Land, and Berklee graduate Jas Kayser taking the role of the great Max Roach. It had all the makings of another great session down at Kansas Smitty's. 

Nigel Price Quartet Livestreaming from the 606 - April 17

(Screenshots by Lance)

Nigel Price (guitar); Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax); Ross Stanley (Hammond); Joel Barford (drums).

Another super Saturday at the 606 - a cracking set by four of the finest and reminiscent of when they blew up a similar storm at The Globe back in October 2020.

It was just one great groove after another inspired, initially, by Kenny Burrell but mainly Wes Montgomery. This was the  real deal with Vasi playing gutsy, bluesy tenor like a man walkin' the bar someplace downtown, Nigel laying waste to any guitar pretenders, Ross giving the Hammond and Leslie the kind of treatment such a combination needs with the whole shebang bumpin' down an endless road by Joel Barford.

Aycliffe Radio. Jazz Time Playlist - Sunday April 18

Chris Barber.

REQUESTS: Ian Shaw; Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram; Sonny Stitt & The Oscar Peterson Trio; Kris Berg w Delfeayo Marsalis.

APRIL: Billie Holiday; Clifford Brown and Max Roach; Abe Lyman & His California Orchestra; Thelonious Monk.

NEW RELEASES: Somi; Kenny Carr; Brian Kellock; Perfect Circle.

Charlie Parker Septet; Errol Garner.

Mike Dixon.

Luke Carlos O'Reilly live streaming I Too, Sing America from Small's, NYC - April 16

Chris McBride (alto sax); Josh Evans (trumpet); Luke Carlos O'Reilly (piano); Luques Curtis (double bass); Mark Whitfield Jr. (drums)

Luke Carlos O'Reilly introduced this Friday evening set saying he hoped his sidemen were onboard with his project. Our bandleader/pianist adding, if they weren't, he'd be making some calls. The inference being they'd be replaced, double quick! It was, of course, tongue in cheek, they were as one. 

Ten 10" Albums I still play (occasionally). 4: Gene Ammons All Stars - a hi-fi jazz jam session

The eagle-eyed among you will have realised that this isn't quite in the alphabetical order I designated when I introduced the series. This one should, alphabetically, have been number one indeed some might say it should be number one by any criteria.

I'd initially decided  on The Four Freshman and Five Trombones - an album which, over the years, I have had fond memories of. However, time can cloud memories. a typical example being the girl you had a crush on at school who, x years later, turns out to be somewhat less than attractive when you see her waiting for her second Covid jab.