Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle - Aug. 14

© Sylvia

Jacob Lightfoot, Max Storey, Georgia Corrin, Molly Clibbett, Brian Wicks (MD) (saxes); Billy Bradshaw, Josh Skyrme, David O'Farrell, Asim Iqbal (trumpets); Alex Utting, Bertie Marks, Thomas McDonald, Ciáran Skipper (trombones); Marcus Dawe (keys); Anya Daley (guitar); Ifede Osiyemi (bass); Josh Weir (drums); Cara Britton (vocals); Chiara Todisco, Lulu Perren, Joel Lai (backing vocals) + Ross Cantrell, Olly Styles (guests); Ed Moore (support)

The main event hit the stage fashionably (unfashionably for Pilgrim) late. The queue was already forming when we arrived in, or so we thought, good time. Truth is the queue was ever-increasing so, rather than disappoint anyone, the happenings didn't happen until everyone was watered and primed for what was to follow which was a short set by singer/guitarist Ed Moore whose pleasing, Nashville orientated, voice possibly wasn't heard to its best advantage. 

© Sylvia/Lance (collage)

The BBB kicked off their first set with Buddy Rich's iconic West Side Story Medley. It's a demanding arrangement and would probably been better if placed later in the set when the horns were warmed up and the lips were in. Corrin, Utting and, of course Josh Weir took the solos. Brahm's Hungarian Dance no. 5 was an unusual choice but the BBB made it swing as if Brahms had combined with Liszt.

Gerry Gibbs and His Dream Band @ Birdland, New York - July 22

Gerry Gibbs (drums); Randy Brecker (trumpet); Gary Bartz (alto sax); Cyrus Chestnut (piano); Buster Williams (bass)

There are jazz clubs you visit to hear music, and there are jazz clubs you visit because somehow you feel you ought to have been there at least once in your life.

Birdland is most definitely the latter.

It had already been following me around New York. Weather Report’s Birdland was on the playlist I had put together before the trip, and the club’s name had appeared countless times on albums and in the stories of musicians I had listened to for years.

Then suddenly there I was, Brooklyn beer in hand, surrounded by photographs of the people who had helped create the music in the first place.

There was an immediate familiarity about it. For anyone who spends as much time at Ronnie Scott’s as I do, Birdland feels like a New York relative. Different city, different history, but very much the same spirit. Tables gathered around a small stage, subdued lighting, conversations dropping away as the musicians prepare to play and those wonderful photographs on the walls reminding you that plenty of remarkable people have occupied these rooms before you.

And Birdland certainly has history.

Nigel Price Kickstarter

There are 17 days until this Kickstarter finishes, and there is still a fair way to go. Surely there must be a couple of hundred people in the UK who want to be a part of this???

This is basically just a ‘pre-order’ and it will ultimately be cheaper for you to get hold of the album this way.

Lorne Lofsky/Nigel Price Quartet ‘Live at The Globe’.

£10 - Download.

£12 - CD + Download (inc UK P&P)

£15 - Signed CD & Download

£25 - Pair of tickets to a UK show & CD & Download.

https://www.kickstarter.com/.../live-at-the-globe-lorne...

**N.B. This is ‘all or nothing’. If it doesn’t hit the target by August 26 at midnight then no pledges are taken, and I just revert to raising the funds myself**

Press release: Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2026 Sept. 24-27/ Sept. 30-Oct. 4

We’re absolutely delighted to announce funding has been secured for Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2026 and gratefully acknowledge Arts Council England along with our partners and investors for their support. Tickets are now on sale.

More than 67 musicians will feature over 26 performances in nine days across seven of the region’s top music venues including Gosforth Civic Theatre, The Cluny, The Cumberland Arms, The Globe, The Lubberfiend, The Lit and Phil and Glasshouse International Centre for Music.

We’ve commissioned Manon McCoy and Emmy Lambert to create our festival interludes, Jon Bradley will make two performances at the historic Edith Adamson Carillon, and two great workshops lined up with Rachel Musson and Free The Aanimals. It’s an absolutely fantastic programme with so many twists and turns, can’t wait to see you there!

Preview: Tonight @ Pilgrim - Bold Big Band w. guests

Tonight, tonight won't be just any night - at least not at Pilgrim which will be the place to be. The Bold Big Band that, back in the day, in the mid-west (USA), might have been described as a territory band, provide an evening of swinging jazz and its various tributaries that should please all.

As well as the band and delectable vocalist Cara Britton, there's guest appearances by ace tenor saxist Olly Styles and multi instrumentalist Ross Cantrell and, if your cup still ain't yet full and running over, there's a support set from Ed Moore!

Showtime 8:00pm (doors 7:30 pm.) Lance

Album Review: Oliver-Smith Incomparables – Stomp Your Stuff (Turtle Bay Records) - Take two.

Andrew Oliver: piano; Hal Smith: drums (1-9, 11-13); Colin Hancock: cornet (1-4, 7-9, 11-13), alto sax (7); Andy Schumm: clarinet (1-5, 7-9, 11-13), cornet (3); T.J. Müller: trombone (1-4, 7-9), 11-13); cornet (6), vocals (6); Jacob Alspach: guitar (1,2,4,8), banjo (3,7,9, 11-13); Dan Anderson: string bass (2-4, 7-9, 11-12), tuba (1, 13)

Over the last few years, there’s been a significant revival of jazz music of the late 20s and early 30s. Marvelous performers such as Bria Skonberg, Terry Waldo, Ricky Alexander, Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks et al, have successfully mined the vast amount of music published during that era. With Stomp Your Feet, the Oliver-Smith Incomparables dive deep into the treasury of music from Chicago’s famed Melrose Publishing - at that time a key player in the genre. And, by brilliantly incorporating these here arrangements and orchestrations in the style of Jelly Roll Morton, the Incomparables provide listeners with a baker’s dozen outstanding selections.

Late Night Chicago Radio with Denny Farrell (Aug. 13 - Aug. 19)

Monty Alexander: In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning.

Karen Allyson: How Long Has This Been Going on?.

Hank Jones: 'Round Midnight.

Sonny Rollins: Three Little Words.

Etta James: Don't go to Strangers.

Frank tenor sax?: Polka Dots and Moonbeams.

Dinah Washington: Call me.

Frank Sinatra: The Summer Wind.

André Previn: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.

? : I'll be Seeing You.

LISTEN 24/7 HERE.

Album review: Zaccai - Sonoluminescence (TRRcollective)

Zaccai Curtis (piano, Rhodes, Yamaha keys, vocals, comp. arr.); Craig Handy (tenor sax, flute); Joe Dyson (drums); Brevan Hampton (congas, perc.); Luques Curtis (bass 1, 2, 3, 7); Mike Boone (bass 4, 5,6, 8) + Aurelien Budynek (guitar 4); Julie Acosta (voice 8) 

Sonoluminescence can occur when a sound wave of sufficient intensity induces a gaseous cavity within a liquid to collapse quickly - or so Professor Google tells me. Frankly it sounds about as exciting as watching a partial eclipse. The latter activity which, last night, seemed to have gripped the nation reminded me of Ronnie Scott's joke about the whole town turning out to watch the traffic lights change.

I'm not sure what, if anything, the big word has to do with the music although I'll find out if I make it to the last track 

Abbie Finn Trio: National Mackem Day @ Sheepfolds, Sunderland - Aug. 12

Abbie Finn (drums); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Paul Grainger (double bass)

A once-in-a-generation event. No, not National Mackem Day, rather a near total eclipse of the sun, to be followed later in the evening by a meteor shower. A national shortage of eclipse glasses would mean many would forego the experience of looking directly at the sun. Some took an 'anti-woke' stance, staring straight at the burning orb. After all, it was some 93 million miles away, what harm could it possibly do? Oh, well...

Sheepfolds, standing in the shadow of Sunderland AFC's Stadium of Light on the north bank of the Wear, attracted a capacity crowd for its National Mackem Day event. All manner of performances - music, theatre etc - would entertain the revelling Mackems. In a sea of SAFC shirts (the new season's pink away strip prominent) one or two Geordie interlopers kept a low profile. 

Dave Lee Trio @ Pizza Express, Soho - August 8

Dave Lee (piano); Alec Dankworth (bass); Winston Clifford (drums)

This was indeed, a historic concert. Pianist Dave Lee, will, on 12 August (today) be 100 years old. He is probably best remembered for playing in the Johnny Dankworth Orchestra from 1954 to 1959 and is fondly remembered by fans of that band. It was fitting that the Pizza Express was packed to the rafters for this lunchtime concert and equally fitting that two of the UK's finest players, Alec Dankworth and Winston Clifford, on double bass and drums respectively, were his accompanists, particularly Alec who is the son of the late, great John  Dankworth.

Dave opened the session by telling the audience that at the age of 5 he learned to play Empty Bed Blues from his dad's record collection.  It was by Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong.  In a droll fashion, he added that at the age of five he had never heard of Bessie or Louis. 'I learned the blues chords before my dad confiscated the record because I played it so much' he said 'and so we'll start off with some blues now'.