Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

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

Saturday, April 07, 2012

Jay Phelps Big Band @ The Sage.

Jay Phelps (tpt); Jack Jones (ten); John Turville (pno); Richard Shepherd (bs); Matt Home (dms) were just some of the names I caught of this 17 piece band. If anyone has the full line-up please let me know.
It was John Turville who kicked things off with the lengthy piano intro to Basie's The Kid From Red Bank. I can't say I'd ever imagined Turville playing Basie but he did and very effectively too.
More Basie with Shiny Stockings followed by a Phelps original - Jay Walking. Not surprisingly the composer featured himself on this one. Straight ahead bop bugle unlike the firebrand that was Phelps in his Empirical days. Jack Jones remained seated for his tenor solo as did most of the soloists until the later stages.
Next up was Clare Teal who gave a scintillating performance (see separate review).
After Ms Teal departed the spotlight returned to the band with Ray's Idea and Duke's Such Sweet Thunder. The latter saw Phelps make effective use of the plunger in true Ellingtonian fashion.
The concise opinion during the interval was that the band was very tight albeit somewhat polite.
This all changed in the second set!
A suite by the leader - Movement For The Modern Artist. comprised four sections - My Love; My Soul Endeavour; My Uncertainty; My Gift.
A discordant intro that made some of Mingus' more outré works sound like In A Monastery Garden told us we were in more contemporary waters.
Politeness is abandoned although there are mellow moments as well as swinging dissonance. Baritone and alto do some scorching whilst Phelps holds it all together playing and directing. Superb rhythm section - great band. No disrespect to Shiny Stockings but this is what the more forward thinkers amongst us came to hear.
Ms. Teal returned and every man (and woman) had a few choruses on the final I Just Want To Make Love To You.
A good concert that deserved to have had wider appeal.
Lance.

No comments :

Blog Archive