Album review: Walter Smith III – Twio Vol.2 (Blue Note)

Walter Smith III (tenor sax); Ron Carter (bass 4,6,7,9,10); Joe Sanders (bass 1,2,3,5,8); Kendrick Scott (drums) + Branford Marsalis (tenor sax 4 & 10)

An ideal take on My Ideal opens up this rather beautiful album with Smith's warm sound and Sanders' rich toned bass coupled with some unobtrusive drumming from Scott setting the scene.

Circus has Scott in a more prominent role. Pushing and driving Smith before taking his journey into the unknown. A drum roll brings in Light Blue which bears an uncanny likeness to I'm Getting Sentimental Over You. The combination of tenor, bass and drums is just so perfect that any other instrument would be superfluous - unless it was another saxophone...

Rockin' @ the Coast

Sounds like a  good way to spend a Sunday afternoon down by the riverside at the Seahorse pub, Hillheads, Whitley Bay, North Tyneside NE25 8HP at 4:00pm on March 8.

More info when known. Lance

Late Night Chicago Radio w. Denny Farrell (Feb. 26 - March 4)

Dexter Gordon: Darn That Dream.

Tony Bennett: For Once in my Life.

Gene Harris: Girl Talk.

Scott Hamilton: 'Round Midnight.

Sarah Vaughan: Black Coffee.

Paul Desmond: Time After Tine,

Blossom Dearie: Manhattan.

Buck Clayton: After Hours.*

Beegee Adair: Sweet and Lovely.

* Dedicated to Lance and Bebop Spoken Here!

LISTEN 24/7

Strictly Smokin' Big Band featuring Giacomo Smith @ the Glasshouse - Feb. 27

© Russell

Michael Lamb (trumpet, MD); Giacomo Smith (clarinet); Keith Robinson, Steve Summers, Jamie Toms, Matt Forster, Sue  Ferris (reeds); Dick Stacey, Billy Bradshaw, Tom Ruston (trumpets); John Flood, Mark Ferris, Kieran Parnaby, Chris Kurgi-Smith (trombones); Dean Stockdale (piano); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Pawel Jedzejewski (guitar); Dave McKeague (drums); Alice Grace (vocals)  

© Sylvia

Over the years I have been fortunate to see and hear live many of the world's greatest jazz clarinettists including: George Lewis, Edmund Hall, Peanuts Hucko, Buddy DeFranco, Bob Wilber, Kenny Davern, Jimmy Hamilton, Vic Ash, Sandy Brown, Adrian  Cox and Alan Barnes.

I think you'll agree that that is quite an impressive list so that when I say that Giacomo Smith is now a worthy addition to that collection of big hitters you'll realise the greatness we had in our midst last night.

Jazz Time Aycliffe Radio - Sundays 6.30-8.00pm (repeated Tuesdays 8.00-9.30pm).

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

Playlist 01/03/26 (repeated Tuesday 03/03/26)

Requests: Jeff Barnhart, John Hallam, Blossom Dearie 

Rachel Sutton introduces her new album   

Nat King Cole  

Tim Garland and Geoffrey Keezer @ Capstone Theatre - February 26

Tim Garland (saxophones);  Geoffrey Keezer (piano}

This concert opened Liverpool International Jazz Festival (LIJF) 2026 hosted by the Capstone Theatre although there is a LIJF Fringe running concurrently featuring primarily local jazz musicians at different venues. Both musicians needed little introduction. Tim Garland has been one of the UK’s finest sax players for many decades and a renowned composer. Geoffrey Keezer born in Wisconsin, a Grammy winner and world class pianist, composer and bandleader. This concert was the second of three in three days the first at King's Place in London on 25 February to launch the album Mezzo. The duo played all tracks from the album which has a splendid front cover designed by Tim’s partner.

More from the Gala

Some extra photos  by Malcolm Sinclair from yesterdays  lunchtime gig @ the Gala Durham by the Joe Steels Group to add to Russell's review.

PHOTOS (scroll to end of photos).

REVIEW.

Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham - Feb. 27

© Russell

Joe Steels (guitar); Ben Lawrence (keys); Andy Champion (double bass); John Hirst (drums)

A Blue Patch is Joe Steels' new album. The Joe Steels Group is touring it (the album) and Durham's Gala Theatre was on the itinerary. Greeted by an attentive full house, guitarist Steels, who composed all of the material we would hear across the allotted sixty minutes, fronted a stellar quartet, comprising rising star Ben Lawrence (keyboards), the incomparable Andy Champion (bass) and drummer extraordinaire, John Hirst.

Steels himself says his music has an optimistic streak running through it. It certainly has and it is refreshingly melody-laden. A Blue Patch was in the set list, of course it was. Two contrasting numbers - Between the Stars (a majestic, sprawling sweep of the night sky) and Witching Hour* (a searing, bop-inspired workout) were knockout highlights of the afternoon, in an afternoon of highlights.

Things are swingin'

Like the girl in the song and the film I can't help it. Can't help passing a charity shop that is, particularly when it's a Cats Protection outlet so this cat went in.

It's a small unit opposite Jarrow Town Hall in fact there's hardly room to swing a cat, as the saying goes.

However things were swingin' for this cat as the graphic shows and I came away not much lighter than when I'd gone in. I also bought a Paul Desmond album which wasn't swingin' at least not on the cover. Inside I'm sure will be different as he has Jim Hall, Gerry Mulligan and no Dave Brubeck alongside him.

I left behind a few Sarah Vaughans, Sinatras and Ellington's 70th Birthday double album which I thought I had but got home and found I hadn't! Maybe another trip down tomorrow...Lance

P.S. The previous owner of the Jonah Jones album signed his name on the back cover - G. Robinson. Could this have been the late George Robinson?

Album review: Dave Slonaker Big Band - Shifty Paradigms (Origin Records)

Dave Slonaker (MD, composer, arranger); Bob Sheppard (alto/soprano sax); Brian Scanlon (alto/soprano sax, flute); Rob Lockart, Tom Luer (tenor sax, clarinet); Adam Schroeder (baritone sax, bass clarinet, flute); Alex Iles, Charlie Morillas, Ido Meshulam (trombone); Bill Reichenbach (bass trombone, bass trumpet); Wayne Bergeron, Dan Fornero, Clay Jenkins, Ron Stout (trumpet); Ed Czach (piano); Andy Waddell (guitar); Edwin Livingston (bass); Peter Erskine (drums); Brian Kilgore (perc. tks 4 , 5, 8)

The third big band album from Hollywood based composer and arranger Slonaker assembles a collection of first call studio musicians for a recording that swings for today without paying too much attention to the past.

Every track stands out - not just for the arrangement which we take for granted will be of the highest order - but for the soloists who deliver the goods that the charts demand.