Aycliffe Radio: Jazz Time Sundays 6.30pm-8.00pm (repeat Tuesdays 8.00pm-9.30 p.m.)

https://www.ayclifferadio.co.uk/listen/

Playlist 03/07/22. (Repeated 05.07.22)

Request for Sedgefield PRG, Chris Barber + Ottilie Paterson.

Request from the Abbie Finntet: Oscar  Peterson, Rob McConnell, Cannonball Adderley.

Requests from Darlington Big Band: Dave Douglas Quartet, Albert Ayler, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz Quartet, Rob McConnell, Marshall Gilkes/ WDR Big Band, Michael Brecker.

What’s on in the NE : Michael Bublé, Tees Valley Jazzmen, Alex Clarke Quartet.

Ahmad Jamal Trio - Perfidia

Happy 92nd birthday to one of my favourite pianists - Lance

The Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ The Blues, Jazz & Swing Festival. The Exchange, North Shields - July 1

(© The Exchange)

Niffi Osiyemi (vocals). Alan Law (piano)  Ifede Osiyemi (bass guitar)

This was the first of a whole smorgasbord of music at The Exchange this weekend and what a way to start. The theme of the evening was ‘Speakeasy’ and while feather boas and headdresses were not obligatory, there were a few who rose to the occasion, none more so than NIffi herself who was indeed dressed to impress.

On this occasions Niffi’s brother, who has just this week followed in his sister's footsteps and qualified as a doctor (congratulations) stood in for regular bassist Paul  Grainger who was engaged at a  jazz gig elsewhere.  Ifede Osiyemi is known for his work with Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra and, also from that campus, the Bold Big Band but on this occasion he was there to do his sister proud as was Alan Law on piano who since his retirement from his day job has been seen more and more frequently at the piano, most recently backing Ruth Lambert at a sell out gig at The Lit and Phil.

But back to the Speakeasy at The Exchange.

RIP John Whitehill

John Whitehill died today, July 1. For many years blues fans throughout the region and beyond listened in awe to John's immaculate guitar playing. Those who attended gigs at the long since demolished Broken Doll pub in Newcastle will have fond memories of hearing John play with the Blues Burglars, later going on to tour across Europe with Paul Lamb and the King Snakes. 

Album review: Matt Anderson Quartet - The Town and the City

Matt Anderson (tenor & soprano saxophones); Alberto Palau (piano); Will Harris (double bass, electric bass); Jay Davis (drums)

Leaving Yorkshire for London, saxophonist Matt Anderson quickly established himself in the capital city and today (July 1) sees the release of the Yorkshireman's third album. The Town and the City features his regular quartet - Alberto Palau, piano, Will Harris, bass, and drummer Jay Davis - and to quote Anderson: One of my aims with this record was to make a ‘proper’ jazz album. And a proper jazz album it is, in the spirit of small group recordings by Sonny Rollins and Wayne Shorter. 

Lights Out by Nine @ Hoochie Coochie - June 30

John Frame (vocals); John Beresford (trumpet); Paul Haddow (trombone); George Morrison (tenor sax); Alan Kyle (guitar, backing vocals); John Stevenson (keyboards, backing vocals); Dougie Hunter (bass, backing vocals); Malc Herpich (drums)

A top soul band, a hip venue and Coors at £3 a pint - get there early to get a seat was the uppermost thought in my mind. For some unfathomable reason it wasn't the uppermost thought in many other people's mind - their loss and a more tangible one for Warren!

Tonight @ Hoochie

(Press release)

“LIGHTS OUT BY NINE are a perfect mixture of soul, funk and rhythm & blues, backed up by Hammond, Horns and Harmonies, and combined with a tight rhythm section to deliver a mixture of strong original material, along with a selection of classic tracks and gems from some of their favourite writers, including artists they have worked with, AWB, Hamish Stuart and Paul Carrack. Expect the sound of Southern Soul, and the STAX and Muscle Shoals stables!

Album Review: Vicki Burns – Lotus Blossom Days

Vicki Burns (vocals); Art Hirahara (piano); Sam Bevan (bass/arr.); Billy Drummond (drums); Dayna Stephens (tenor/bari sax tks 3, 4, 12); Josh Deutsch (trumpet tks 1, 2, 9); Mas Koga (flute/bari sax tk 2); Nick Vayenas (trombone tks 1, 9)

An album from yet another very good jazz songstress who is accompanied by instrumentalists who are well on the money. This poses the reviewer, with the problem of what to say that is original. I must do it otherwise the Editor-In-Chief will sack me! Help!

Album review: Lady Blackbird - Black Acid Soul

Lady Blackbird (vocals); Deron Johnson (piano, keyboards); Jon Flaugher bass); Jimmy Paxson (drums, percussion); Chris Seefried (guitars); Troy ‘Trombone Shorty’ Andrews (trumpet on Nobody’s Sweetheart).

I notice Lady Blackbird getting a lot of love in the new edition of Jazzwise (the one with Charles Lloyd on the cover) as she’s on at the Love Supreme festival at glistening Glyne in Sussex, so I thought I’d dig out this album and give it another listen. Actually, it didn’t take much digging as it’s lived in a pile next to the CD player since I bought it last year.

The Clark Tracey Orchestra: Duke Ellington - Music from the Sacred Concerts @ York Minster - June 29

A curate's egg!

It may seem unfair to dismiss some of Ellington's finest work played by sixteen of the UK's top jazz musicians with those three words but, so be it.

The difficulty for me was the attempt to integrate the music with the various ecclesiastical, often quite lengthy, portions of the concert/service.

The fact that the congregation, that filled the caverness and architecturally beautiful building, appeared to comprise of jazz people, regular churchgoers, tourists and curious freeloaders meant that what appealed to one didn't necessarily appeal to the other with the exception of Junior Laniyan whose hoofing pressed everyone's buttons.