Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

From This Moment On

August

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Waltz for Debby

Roly drew my attention to this YouTube clip of the Bill Evans Trio playing "Waltz For Debby. That tune is one of the most beautiful jazz originals ever and this version is as good as any that Bill recorded, and he did record a few. Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian drums are the perfect soulmates with, as Roly pointed out, great brushwork from Paul Motian.
Strangely, the first time I heard "Waltz for Debby" was as a vocal at the Edinburgh Jazz Festival. It was also the first time I ever heard Carol Kidd - talk about falling in love twice at the same time!
I wasn't alone. Fred Hunt was standing next to me at the bar and he said, "I normally can't stand singers but that was something else!"
I couldn't have agreed more.
Unfortunately there's not much of Carol on YouTube to convey that magical moment 25 years ago but "When I Dream" hints at it. "Can't We Be Friends," entertaining as it is, was a more recent recording and...

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Hi Lance and Roly
Nice to see your blog feature on the Bill Evans Trio clip on YouTube.
However, you’re a little out as to the personnel. This was a BBC “Jazz 625” film recorded 19th. March 1965 in London, and Bill had Chuck Israels on bass and Larry Bunker on drums. I have this on a video tape – remember those? – and this version was a repeat broadcast on BBC2, and was introduced by Mick Hucknall of Simply Red. Where did he go wrong?
Best regards
Jack

Lance said...

Where indeed? I've got Mick doing "You Are Too Beautiful" which he does admirably.
Thanks Jack.

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