Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18445 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 309 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 20 ) 43,

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

April

Fri 24: Noel Dennis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. Dennis, Mark Willams, Andy Champion. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Trio Grand @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Ben Vince + The Exu @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £14.33., £11.16, £8.00. A ‘jazz adjacent’ gig!
Fri 24: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £13.20 (inc. bf).

Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ni Maxine + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sun 26: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 26: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00., £7.00.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: House of Blues @ the Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00., £5.00. advance. A student-led jazz session. ‘House of Blues’ is, perhaps, a misnomer.
Mon 27: Littlewood Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00 + bf, £7.00. + bf.

Tue 28: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Hackney Colliery Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £25.00.

Thu 30: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: International Jazz Day & JANE AGM.
Thu 30: Duke Junction @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Nadim Teimoori (tenor sax); Jeff Hewer (guitar); Martin Longhawn (organ); Steve Hanley (drums). An International Jazz Day event & the 12th anniversary of Newcastle Jazz Co-op acquiring the Globe!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Sheila Jordan - Gateshead Jazz Festival

Sheila Jordan (vcl). The Brian Kellock Trio. Brian Kellock (pno), Kenny Ellis (bs), Stu Richie (dms). Cleveland Watkiss (guest vocalist). ----- (photo from MySpace) An hour of late night magic in the intimate setting of the Jazz Lounge by one of the music's true originals. There is no one quite like her, Sheila Jordan is totally unique and so obviously committed to the sounds we love. Jazz, bebop, yellow cabs, uptown, downtown, Birdland; jazz and New York run through her veins then ooze out by way of her heart and soul taking us with her to 52nd St in the 'forties, 'fifties and beyond.
Belying her age Sheila treat us to a mixture of standards and jazz classics; personalised by the hippest singer in the business - I don't think Anita O'Day or even Blossom Dearie was quite as cool as this octogenarian.
The oneliners that found their way into the lyrics were something else - "How should I know how deep is the ocean? I can't swim!".
Her own verse to "My Funny Valentine" paid tribute to the Miles Davis recording whilst others involved Coltrane and Charlie Parker idolatory.
Cleveland Watkiss joined our lady for "Confirmation" and the scatted exchanges were aces high. This was one for the all-time short list
The Brian Kellock trio were in top form - what is it about jazz and the Scots? The pianist's variations on "When Your Smiling" brought tears to my eyes (sorry about that one!)
This has been a great festival and there's Joshua Redman still to come - roll on tomorrow night.
Lance.

4 comments :

Anonymous said...

The rendition of 'When you're smiling' was incredible. To play something so slowly, with so much emotion, and to still make it groove is as Roly might say, a bit special. Even more so as I played the same song hundreds of times over Christmas in the Panto I was doing, and I never thought I'd want to hear it again! Sheila Jordan was innately charming and original.

I can't wait for Joshua Redman...

Anonymous said...

Spot on review Lance. What an absolute delight from start to finish. I first 'discovered' Sheila in searching out Barry Galbraith recordings - he plays on 'Portrait of Sheila' CD on Blue Note, recorded 1962. Also a very young Steve Swallow on double bass and Denzil Best(Move) on drums. Fell in love with her singing then and her whole approach to the music. She is a wonderful jazz ambassador. Great trio too - Kellock is a very special player.
Roly

cptfinch said...

After seeing Sheila in the afternoon at the Voice in Jazz concert - I decided to miss the Final Terror gig to hear her again. It was an absolute pleasure both times. They were the highlights of the festival for me. Brilliant!

Anonymous said...

I bought the CD roly and it is everything you said it was.
"Am I Blue?", "Hum Drum Blues" which of course she opened up with and the incredible "Baltimore Oriole". Sheila singing a Hoagy song is about as good as it gets - particularly with your man Galbraith on guitar.

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