Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

CD Review: Hannabiell and Midnight Blue. With Us.

After their recent gig at Hoochie Coochie I intended to review Hannabiell and  Midnight Blue's superb CD With Us but, after reading Ann's review of the disc written after the CD launch party, it occurred to me that no way could I improve upon this so instead I've re-posted her original review.
Lance.
Hannabiell Sanders ("Tyler" the bass trombone, percussion,mbira, vocal); Yilis Suriel (djembe, mbira, percussion); John Pope (bass); George Magrath (drums); Nate Shaw (keyboard); Mark Edwards (vibraphone); Helen Papaioannou (saxophone); Nuala Kennedy (vocal, penny whistle); Thuli Mazwi (vocal); Ali Gillies (Nintendo DS Sampler).
(Review by Ann Alex)
1: King? Opens with "Tyler" blowing a strong riff with New Orleans influences, samba grooves and lots of jazzy improvisation.  Includes brass, bass, drums, keyboard, vibraphone.
2: Ndlovkazi (The Female Elephant). Very different, a celebration of femaleness, a very ethnic sound with keyboard, mbira, vibraphone, drums and others, African singing, clapping, speech.
3:Triple It: This track lasts 3.13 minutes (get it?) and the music comes in threes, with accompaniment from percussion and vuvuzela only.  Very catchy.
4:Tyler's Line. Featuring bass trombone playing a hesitant riff, kit, cow bell and others, speeding up to a climax, a very jazzy track.
5: Protest Culture. This sounds like a protest march with clacking percussion and whistles, a low drum, mostly a rhythmic piece plus melodic snatches of trombone.
6: With Us. The title track features the sweet voices of Thuli Mazwi and Nuala Kennedy singing such words as ‘Peace be with us now’ to a Caribbean style of accompaniment, provided by bass, drums, vibraphone and others.
7Squid. This track is effective but somewhat disturbing, featuring the words of Martin Luther King played over a drone, with garbled words and distortion.  It is dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake.
The CD is good value, with an average track length of 5 minutes, and an ideal memento of seeing this band live.  Catch them and the CD somewhere soon!  
Ann Alex.

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