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

18548 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 412 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 19) 66

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

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 27: Neighbourhood Watch + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00. Rivkala (solo).

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Miles Davis & His Favourite Musicians.
Thu 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 28: Bobby Rush @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. + bf. Veteran USA bluesman.
Thu 28: Squabble @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 28: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.

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.

Friday, May 11, 2012

L’Entente Chordiale @ The Lit & Phil. 10 May

Q: Julien Desprez (guitar), Fanny Lasfargues (bass) & Sylvain Darrifourcq (drums)
Yann Joussein (percussion & electronics)
ACV: Andy Champion (bass), Graeme Wilson (saxophones), Mark Williams (guitar), Paul Edis (piano) & Adrian Tilbrook (drums).
(Review by Russell)
Day two of Jazz North East’s Anglo French festival began in the best possible manner with a set from Andy Champion’s star-studded powerhouse quintet ACV. The second album is in the can and as is the way with these things will be released some time soon. 
The material in this set at the Lit & Phil was a mixture of the familiar and the not so familiar. Giant Mice, What’s For Breakfast? and Dust Red have become audience favourites, there was a new number from reedsman Graeme Wilson and a reflective composition from bandleader Champion – Second Season - sounded good on first hearing. Wilson and guitarist Mark Williams reeled off solos with ease, so too pianist Paul Edis. Champion and drummer Adrian Tilbrook drove the band with no little enthusiasm and all brought something to the party on the outrageous Without Bones.

French percussionist Yann Joussein impressed on the first day of the festival with Tweedle-Dee and he stayed over to play a short solo set. Brushes, mallets, sticks and big bass bin dub loops combined to produce a well conceived sound. 
Joussein’s compatriots Julien Desprez (guitar), Fanny Lasfargues (bass) and drummer Sylvain Darrifourcq work together as Q. Desprez comes from a left field perspective; feedback, pedals, sustain. Bassist Lasfargues plays it slung low, booming trance-punk lines and drummer Darrifourcq is one of the most sensational musicians heard in the long history of Jazz North East. He has the drive of Blakey or Tommy Chase but isn’t an exponent of a neo-bop sound. The European free jazz scene is where this amiable Frenchman is coming from. Massive technique, a listening, responsive participant of the trio and wow, when he goes into overdrive you certainly know about it. Memorable.
Russell.
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive