Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

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 03, 2012

CD Review: Various Artists - Spiritual Jazz 2: Europe


This is a very moving disc - although not a Spiritual person myself I feel the power of the music coming through. The blurb is right when it describes this as A heady mix indeed, stirring jazz overtures with orchestra and choir, festival performances recorded live from the grassy heartlands of central Europe, modal montages inspired by pilgrimages to Asia and Africa, experiments in rhythm and sound where modern jazz meets traditional Balkan and Flamenco folk music. 
The track listing is indicative of just how European this music is with Michael Garrick representing the UK and other familiar names such as Dusko Goykovic, Albert Mangelsdorf, Barney Wilen and Hans Dulfer also reaching out to give their country a say. It is varied yet still compelling without straying too far from the contemporary scene and I don't think there is one track I would veto although the Dulfer one was borderline!
Spiritual Jazz – European style, brought to you by the ever impressive Jazzman Records, run by (Jazzman) Gerald Short in London who is to be commended for producing such a rare collection.. It will be available from Monday 6 February on CD and also 2xLP (180g/gatefold). Each track has been digitally restored from the original master tapes, and the release features comprehensive liner notes with individual notes on each track with original stories direct from the musicians and artists. Most of these tracks have never before been reissued – previously only available on rare LPs that change hands for mega bucks.
Tracklisting:
01. Erich Kleinschuster Sextett - Communion [Austria]
02. Albert Manglesdorf Quintet - Varie [Germany]
03. Michael Garrick Sextet - Temple Dancer [UK]
04. Raphael - Archangelo [Belgium]
05. Barney Wilen - Africa Freakout [France]
06. Nicolai Gromin - Corrida [Czechoslovakia]
07. Heikki Sarmanto - Duke and Trane [Finland]
08. Wroblewski Jazz Quintet - Nana Imboro [Poland]
09. Dusko Goykovic - Bosna Calling [Yugoslavia]
10. Pedro Iturralde - Las Morillas de Jaen [Spain]
11. Hans Dulfer & Ritmo-Natural - Candy Clouds (Part II) [Holland]
Lance.

No comments :

Blog Archive