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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17864 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 185 of them this year alone and, so far,32 this month (March10).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tues 11: Solea @ Earthlings, the Healing Café, 94 Buckingham St., Newcastle, NE4 5QR. 7:00-8:45pm. Food available if ordered before 6:30pm. New band: Johannes Dalhuijsen (tenor sax, bass clarinet); Richard Herdman (guitar); Nick Bagnall (bass guitar); John Hirst (drums).
Tue 11: Giles Strong Quartet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: The Exu + Matt Cliffe @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 13: Oh La La! @ Allendale Village Hall, Northumberland. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £6.00. child. Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Thu 13: Fiona Finden’s Jazz Express @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 14: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Taylor @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00-2:00pm. £5.00. at the door. Second Friday in the month lunchtime concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Brass Funkeys + Dilutey Juice @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Oh La La! @ Edmundbyers Village Hall, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £10.00. (additional £5.00. supper option, ordered in advance). Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Fri 14: The Collective @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.50.
Fri 14: Bridget Metcalfe Quintet @ St George’s Venue, Park Road, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.

Sat 15: Hot Teapots @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 15: Creakin’ Bones @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Is This Jazz? @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk. Performances by Mu Quintet, Jinjé, A Brief Utopia, John Pope & Co + André Marmot (author of Unapologetic Expression: The Inside Story of the UK Jazz Explosion) in conversation + DJ sets ‘til 3:00am. ‘A Festival of New Jazz’.
Sat 15: Vintage Explosion @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 15: Alligator Gumbo @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Sat 15: One Night Standards @ The White Room, Stanley. 8:00pm. £8.67 (inc. bf). Note - previously advertised Salty Dogs cancelled.
Sat 15: Howlin’ Mat @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Blues guitar.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: Pearl Blossoms @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime.
Sun 16: Hot 8 Brass Band @ Wylam Brewery. 7:30pm. ‘Big Tuba Tour’.
Sun 16: ARQ @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Air4ce @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:30pm (8:00pm doors). £12.00.; £10.00. Tom Atkinson’s all-star band (line-up inc. Lindsay Hannon & Sue Ferris).
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Jamie Toms Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Monday, December 22, 2008

Oscar Peterson Trio Live at Ronnie Scott's - BBC 4

A typical Peterson bravura performance - has there been a more technically accomplished pianist in jazz? I don't think so although Tatum, of course, ran him close. In this set from 1974 the great man was joined by Barney Kessell on guitar and Niels Henning Oersted-Pederson on bass and it says much that Peterson towered so much above the other two that their true status was somewhat submerged.
Prior to the arrival of Barney and Niels, our man had played a couple of unaccompanied numbers; "I Should Care" and a particularly impressive version of "This Nearly Was Mine". I've always felt the Rodgers and Hammerstein tune never reaches its potential when sung in the semi-operatic manner demanded of it in "South Pacific" and here Oscar totally stripped it of any sentimentality even to the extent of adding some stride-like touches without losing its harmonic attraction.
Although not in the driving seat, Barney did have a couple of decent solos but it is my feeling that a guitarist - any guitarist - is on a hiding to nothing when Oscar is in full flight. (Roly says "Click here to Check Lorne Lofsky out" - see comments)
An enjoyable half hour.
The docs that followed on Billie and Bird were, to say the least, harrowing.

8 comments :

Anonymous said...

One of the Peterson guitarists I like very much is Canadian Lorne Lofsky. He is a wonderful player - some nice examples of his unique playing are on YouTube. He can fly with the best but also seems nowadays to play a lot of subtle finger style harmony (with thumb pick)- and does it beautifully.
Roly

Lance said...

As you have remarked, another unsung hero. Plus at this stage in his life Peterson was as flamboyant than when he was at his peak thus leaving more spaces.
Someone once described Peterson (or was it Buddy Rich or both?) as a steamroller with a formula One engine!

Anonymous said...

Yes a good description - I actually got into jazz via Peterson. That great album 'Night Train'. I liked R&B and folk blues incl. blues & boogie woogie pno (Jimmy Yancey/Meade Lux Lewis etc)then saw Peterson probably on The Palladium TV show and was hooked. Dare I say it though - whilst he was a phenomenal pianist I don't think he was a great accompanist - tended to be a bit over busy. Be interested to see what others (specially pianists) think of this viewpoint. Gulp. I'll probably get slapped down.
Roly

Lance said...

Interesting point re Oscar. I think that if you are looking for an accompanist then guys such as Hank Jones or Ellis Larkins spring to mind. Put people like Peterson, Tatum or Garner with an instrumentalist (Tatum/Webster springs to mind) then you have to regard them as, in classical terms, a double concerto with bass and drums being the sole accompanists.
How about Brubeck/Desmond? How do you rate Dave as an accompanist?

Anonymous said...

An interesting topic and although I didn't see the concert in question, ( I hope it wasn't one of those recorded shortly before his death, when he was literally playing with one hand, which was sad to watch) but I agree with Roly in this respect----- Oscar was, without doubt, a phenomenal player with a flawless technique, immaculate harmonic sense & "hair -raising" drive & swing and in this respect had no equal. But he was a very competitive player who, I guess, found it difficult to play second fiddle to anyone, and on some recordings, you almost feel that he is goading rather than accompanying in a sympathetic manner.
I am not too familiar with his work with vocalists apart from Ella & Fred Astaire but I have never considered him to be alongside Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones or Ellis Larkins as an accompanist. But I do remember a series of recordings he did with other virtuoso players such as Freddie Hubbard, Joe Pass, John Faddis etc which were virtually face to face "warfare". One got the feeling that Oscar was saying "this is how brilliant I am so let's see if YOU can stay with me".
I remember one of the tracks on the album with Freddie Hubbard, which was at breakneck speed, where they were swapping 4s & 8s with astounding brilliance until Freddie became so exasperated with the increasing complexity of Oscar's breaks that he collapsed into a series of whinnying & farting noises. Oscar had proved his point!
It must have been difficult for him to contain himself when accompanying lesser mortals but as Anne will confirm, the "fireworks" are for the solos & not for the accompaniment. But HEY,if that's his only flaw, I'LL settle for that on the same terms!!!!!
Bill and Anne

Anonymous said...

A fair assessment Bill. I do like accompanists who listen/react and play 'in the gaps' - Russ Freeman with Chet Baker is a nice example.
But Peterson has his place at the absolute pinnacle when it comes to virtuoso, 'lead from the front' jazz piano.
I've got a DVD where he plays with both Ray Brown & NOHP and some of his playing on that is just breathtaking. So is their's!
Peterson was a lovely guy too, do you remember when BBC gave him a series of chat shows. He seemed a bit uncomfortable doing the Parky bit but his genuine nature shone through and incidentally he sang a nice Nat Cole inspired vocal too. Changing tack what about the unsung Freddy Cole? Another master musician.
Roly

Anonymous said...

Peterson could be a little busy in comparison to some other pianists (ideal for the trio stuff) but having said that, I've never found it irritating, so presumably it's not too busy?!

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