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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18018 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 339 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (May 7).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: The Greatest in Jazz - Guitarists.
Thu 15: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 15: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). John Garner & John Pope.

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Chucho Valdes & The Afro-Cuban Messengers + Ibrahim Maalouf @ The Barbican.

Chucho Valdés (pno), Mayra Valdés (vcl), Lazaro Alarcon (bs), Juan Castro (dms), Yaroldy Robles (perc), Dreiser Bambolé (bata drum/vcl), Carlos Hernandez (ten), Reinaldo Alvarez (tpt/flg).
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Ibrahim Maalouf (tpt), Nenad Gajin (gtr), Frank Woeste (Rhodes), Xavier Roger (dms), Benjamin Molinaro (bs).
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They stood up and applauded wildly and justifiably so. If one man and one band deserved a standing ovation it was Chucho Valdés and the Afro-Cuban Messengers.
This was Harlem meets Havana - a Cuban Jazz Carnival.
The two horns provided the Messenger content and both would have been at home in any of Art Blakey's ensembles. They dug in and blew hard bop over the most pulsating rhythm section I'm ever likely to hear. In Hernandez you have tenor player who can hold his head high with the best of them - eat your heart out Mr Lloyd!
Alvarez too could swing as well as being beautifully lyrical on flugel.
The various percussionists gave the beat and a lot more conjuring up a variety of sounds from their armoury.
As for the leader well, he simply held it all together as well as chipping in with some wildly extravagent and exciting solos. Mayra Valdés was used sparingly revealing a powerful and emotive voice but it was Bambolé who took most of the vocals in-between Bata drumming.
It was great night as I knew it would be from the moment Alarcon kicked things off with a pizzicato bowed bass solo. Earlier on the French Arabian trumpet player's quintet got the ball rolling with a set that was, by his own admission more rock than jazz. Strangely, a section of the audience applauded that announcement!
Ibrahim Maalouf is a good trumpet player with a big fat sound and a band that at times really did rock the rafters - if they have rafters at the Barbican. However, there were too many deep reflective moments for my personal taste. Nevertheless the crowd liked it so who am I to complain?
A fitting and satisfactory end to my mini London Jazz Festival
On the free stage the Younger Zen (pictured right) had set the ball rolling with a brilliant set. Wade Austin (steel pan), Konrad Foster (bs. gtr), Siemy Diengue (dms). Playing sax in the Chilli Road Band, as I do, I thought I knew a bit about steel pans but never had I heard them played like this! Wade Austin plays runs that any sax, trumpet, guitar player would be proud of - if they could manage them! Add chords and contrapuntal lines and he becomes a keyboard/vibes player - amazing! I just wished the steel panners of my acquaintance could have been here!
Lance.

2 comments :

Ron A said...

I agree 100% with you Lance, as you know I'm a great Chucho fan and attended the very same concert at the Barbican on Thursday gone.Having visited Cuba earlier this year (including a couple of nights in a Havana Jazz Club) we could not wait to hear those fantastic cuban sounds again, being played live that is!
The solo piano he played was absolutely astounding,the band was exceptional and it was one of the best concerts I am are likely to experiance. I never understood why Chucho avoided my jazz listening radar until about 4 years ago!Such a talent!!!!!!!

Ron Ainsborough

Lance said...

Hey Ron wish I'd known you were there - it was quite amazing.

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