Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Thu 19: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: George Shearing Jazz Moments.

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

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

Friday, February 20, 2009

Ruth's New CD

It's been such a hectic past four days absorbing so many great and varied sounds that I'm completely jazzed-out - to use a current buzzword. So much so that my body is demanding that I give tonight's concert at the Saville Exchange by the Jazz-O-Maniacs a miss. My heart and head argued that I'd be crazy not to catch The Maniacs but my body won.
So instead, it is feet-up time with a cooling glass and a CD or two.
Talking CDs... Prior to last night's great concert by the Damon Brown/Steve Grossman Quintet Mr T - good buddy Adrian - played Ruth Lambert's latest CD and it is an absolute knockout with arrangements by John Warren that had just a hint of Marty Paich to them and a whole lot of John Warren. I don't know if it has been launched yet - I couldn't find mention on Jazz Action site - but it's one to grab and complement her previous "So Many Stars."
In the mean time I'm going to listen to Claire Martin and Sir Richard Rodney Bennett. "I Was a Little Too Lonely" is one of those great underexposed songs that the swinging knight does justice to.
Lance

3 comments :

Anonymous said...

Hi Lance

I couldn't agree more about Ms.Lambert's new,soon to be realesed,CD - it sounds great.Ruth has dates lined-up across the region in the coming months and I, for one,can't wait !

Russell

Anonymous said...

Lance & Russell are both absolutely right about the outstanding quality of Ruth's new CD, which I understand is due for release in the Autumn (why the delay Adrian?). One thing neither of them have mentioned is the tremendous contribution to the music of some of our younger local players such as Paul Edis and Graeme Wilson (who also contributed a couple of the arrangements). There was a time when local vocalists aiming to make a high quality album might have felt the need to turn to London for accompaniment: Ruth's new album is proof positive that the North East now has a pool of talent that matches anything other regions can boast.

Paul
25.2.09

Anonymous said...

Ruth’s new CD is nearly ready for release, we are putting the final touches to it now and it should be out by the end March. I’m pleased that the Corner House preview went down well and I’ll be posting the release date on the Jazzaction site soon.

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