Weird scenes for Knats with Soho Radio "On the Road" ...

1. Live recording and interview from  Sage Gateshead on Thursday May 19 HERE. Interview at 1:00:22, with live numbers before/after Every Sun is a Red Moon at 1:28:30.

2. Secret gig (!)  (in Camperdown industrial estate rave venue) on Saturday May 21  for select 30 audience (lucky winners of online competition) picked up on double decker bus and delivered to the venue for free bar, DJ sets and three bands.  Sam Fender's sax man (Johnny Blue Hat Davis) in attendance enjoyed it! A YouTube video feature to come. Chris K

Al Wood Quartet @ the Railway, Stockport - May 22

(© Jeff Pritchard)

Al Wood (alto sax); Derrick Harris (guitar); Dave Lynane (bass); Dave Hassell (drums) + Richard Iles (flugel).

Al Wood opened up with Irving Berlin’s composition Cheek to Cheek. It made me think of a time, many years ago, when I lent a friend an LP Phil Woods live at the Showboat and never got it back. There was a fantastic version of this tune by Phil Woods and for some reason that album is very hard to find.  The second number was one that you do not hear very often; Hank Mobley’s Funk In A Deep Freeze. This is a tune Chet Baker liked to play and there is also a great version on John Zorn’s album News For Lulu.

Sunday Night @ the Globe: Panharmonia - May 22

(© S. Herrick)

Keith Barrett (guitar, vocal, perc); Fiona Finden (soprano sax, vocal, perc); Stu Finden (baritone sax, perc); Andrew Porritt (bass, perc); John Bradford (drums, perc).

The last time this band played at the Globe they were known as the East Coast Quintet which seemed to be quite a cool name. However, that was then (November 2021) and this is now and, as threatened back then, these days they strut their stuff as Panharmonia.

With the change of name came, to my ears, a gutsier, more fiery sound. Everyone was microphonically enhanced including the drums which in a small room like the Globe bar meant that the opening What is This Thing Called Love? sounded louder than the rock band who were playing in the performance space at the Centre For Life a few blocks away. Presumably the amplification was linked to the settings for the livestream.

'58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman's, Middlesbrough - May 19

Kevin Eland (trumpet/flugel); Donna Hewitt (tenor/clarinet); Django (trombone/vocals); Ron Smith (bass); Dave Archbold (keys); Mark Hawkins (drums); Kate Bulman (vocals).

When a band that has been together for more than two years under the leadership of Kevin Eland is booked as the guest band at Dorman's, then an excellent night of music is to be expected and we were not disappointed.

 

Starting the night in fine style, Blues Walk gave the whole band the chance to show how well they all played together. Straighten Up and Fly Right, with vocals from Django was followed by Cute, featuring Mark on drums and Kate on vocals.

Aycliffe Radio Jazz Time playlist

 

Jazz Time Sundays 6.30 - 8.00p.m. (repeat Tuesdays 8.00-9.30 p.m.) 

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

Playlist 22.05.22 (14.05.22)

Congratulations to Abbie and Harry: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band w Alice Grace.

Requests: Oscar Peterson/Lester Young.

Tees Valley Jazzmen.

Matt Monro Story: One Voice @ The Customs House - May 21

Sinatra rated him, he was known as 'the singer's singer', enjoying international success, for a while living the life out in California, now, more than thirty seven years after his death, his legacy lives on, the name...Matt Monro. The Matt Monro Story: One Voice is Matt Monro Jnr's lovingly crafted tribute to his famous father. The show is on tour and yesterday (Saturday) it stopped off in South Shields.

Andrea Vicari Trio @ Opus 4 Jazz Club - May 20

Andrea Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass, bass guitar); Abbie Finn (drums) + Harry Keeble (tenor sax)

Earlier in the day Andrea Vicari played to a capacity audience at the Lit & Phil up the road in Newcastle. Here at the Traveller's Rest in Darlington, Vicari, Andy Champion and Abbie Finn were greeted by an enthusiastic Opus 4 Jazz Club crowd. The lack of a piano at the venue - upright or grand - pressed into action Vicari's well-travelled keyboard. Bassist Champion brought along his electric as well as his trusty double bass. From Think of One to Blues on the Spot, the set list would mirror that of Newcastle plus a whole lot more.

Jazz on the Tyne welcomes Fergus McCreadie and “Forest Floor”

Ahead of his trio gig in Barnard Castle on May 27, award-winning pianist and composer Fergus McCreadie is the special guest on the latest edition of Jazz on the Tyne.  He’ll be talking with presenter Colin Muirhead about his chart-topping new album “Forest Floor” and more.

Andrea Vicari Trio @ the Lit & Phil - May 20

Andrea Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (bass); Abbie Finn (drums)

A stunning one hour set by a trio that gelled as if they'd spent a lifetime playing together which was far from the truth. Their paths had all intertwined over the years but, until this afternoon, never as a tight unit with all three working as one.

I first heard Andrea at Scarborough in 2010 at that year's jazz festival. She referred to that gig today although she didn't mention me - how remiss! - however, she did mention a Croatian guitarist called Elvis.

mjf news - festival starts tomorrow

mjf (manchester jazz festival) kicks off tomorrow (May 20) - all ten days of it and there's some mouthwatering stuff. Too much indeed for me to go into chapter and verse. For that you need to visit the mjf website which you can access right HERE.

Lots of major players including the northeast's ABBIE FINN TRIO who are planning to motor west getting their kicks on the A66.

I counted about 50 gigs and many are free (+ booking fee which seems to be somewhat contradictory!) So, if you're at a loose end over the next ten days, Manchester (or manchester) is the place to be - Lance