Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18573 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 437 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 28) 91

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

May

Sat 30: Giles Strong Quartet @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £1.50 bf.

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

June

Mon 01: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Mon 01: CW Stoneking @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Blues, Americana.

Tue 02: Mark Williams Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 02: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Postmodern Jukebox @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Thu 04: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 05: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 05: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 05-Thu 11: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne. Screenings TBC.
Fri 05: Pete Tanton & Alan Law @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 05: House of the Black Gardenia: Summer Tyne Swing Festival @ Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £130.00; £95.00; £70.00; £50.00. Note: all day dance event (classes & socials). House of the Black Gardenia evening performance. Day 1/3.
Fri 05: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band + IKS Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £24.00. Big band double bill. IKS Big Band (Germany).
Fri 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00

Monday, July 12, 2010

Whitley Bay International Jazz Festival Day 3 - Afternoon

Barrelhouse & Boogie: Jeff Barnhart & Paul Asaro.
Fidgety Fingers: Tom 'Spats' Langam, Martin Wheatley, Keith Stephen, Roly Veitch, Philippe Guignier (guitars).
The last in the one hour piano concerts featured Americans Jeff Barnhart and Paul Asaro playing barrelhouse and boogie. From first note to last this was a treat. Our pianists are great communicators offering incisive comment on the players and styles developed one hundred years ago and more. Barnhart, a big man, played Eubie Blake's Charleston Rag (dating from 1899), a masterful version of High Society (!), Chattanooga Choo Choo and others. At the conclusion of each piece there was thunderous, well deserved applause.
Paul Asaro, the other half of the recital, is a young man of prodigious talent. At one point he claimed to 'dabble' in certain aspects of the music. Well, if that's the case, I bet the audience wished they could turn their hand to whatever took their fancy. Asaro can play, no two ways about it. Blind Pig Blues, Alligator Crawl and Juan Tizol's Caravan were executed quite brilliantly. Barnhart and Asaro rattled off any number of tunes (James P Johnson's Riffs and Meade Lux Lewis' Honky Tonk Train Blues were highlights) and as a finale they went out with St.Louis Blues as a four-hander.
On leaving the One-Cent Club the word was out that a 'must see' was Cecile McLorin Salvant. Arriving at Kelly's Stables it was impossible to get into the joint. It was packed to the rafters. Fortunately the door was kept open (it was rather warm!). I, together with thirty or forty others, stood in the corridor, faces pressed up against the glass. The sensation that is Cecile performed a programme comprising tunes associated with Billie Holiday. Phrasing, interpretation of the lyric, everything about the perfromance was flawless.
The band, led by Jean-Francois Bonnel, was hand picked for the occasion. All were stars but none more so than Cecile McLorin Salvant.
Meanwhile, back in the One-Cent, the afternoon was winding down with four then five ace guitarists on the stand. An all acoustic show, Langham, Wheatley, Stephen and Veitch played a wonderful set - each guitarist taking the spotlight in turn and appreciating the skills of the others. It wasn't competitive, just relaxed, no egos here.
Riverboat Shuffle, I Saw Stars (Veitch taking the vocal) and Stompin' at the Savoy were a joy, then the boys were joined by the Hot Antic's Philippe Guignier. He called Come to Me My Melancholy Baby and so we had it - just like that, no problem. Then Sweet Sue Just You (another relaxed vocal by Veitch). A finale, with an astral theme, saw each take a two-chorus solo and so we got, variously, Stardust, Moonglow, Blue Moon, Stella By Starlight etc. Perfect.
Russell.
at

2 comments :

Lenamiami said...

A Sailboat in the Moonlight and You by Cecile McLorin Salvant and the Jean-Francois Bonnel Band on Day 3:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=416233326459&oid=91069268131

Monday, July 19, 2010 7:00:00 am
Lance said...

Fantastic Lena and many thanks for reminding us - as if we needed reminding! - what a great singer Cecile is.

Monday, July 19, 2010 7:11:00 am

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