Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Charlie Parker was my introduction to the religion of music. And so he's always with me .'' - Downbeat November 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

17950 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 914 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Nov. 7).

From This Moment On ...

November

Sun 09: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free. RESCHEDULED TO NOV. 16 OWING TO ILLNESS
Sun 09: Salty Dog @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:30pm (doors). Jazz, blues, Americana.
Sun 09: Graham Hardy’s Eclectic Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Sun 09: David Gray’s Flextet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tue 11: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 11: Laura Jurd @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Thu 04: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Seasonal/Festive Music & Songs - autumn into winter.
Thu 13: Awen Ensemble @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00. Jazz-folk.
Thu 13: SwanNek + Ellen Beth Adbi + Phantom Bagman @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. A BBC Introducing event.

Fri 14: Dan Johnson Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 14: Giles Strong Quartet @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
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: Brian Jackson @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £32.00.
Fri 14: Guisborough Big Band @ Saltburn Golf Club. 7:30pm. £12.00 (inc. pie & peas). SOLD OUT!

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00-9:30pm.
Sat 15: Les Frères Frangipane @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 8:00pm (doors 7:30pm). £10.00. ‘Chanson Française’. Fundraiser for Jesmond Community Orchard & Jesmond Library.

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, October 12, 2012

CD Review: Two for The Road Tianna Hall and The Mexico City Jazz Trio


Tianna Hall (vocals); Augustin Bernal (bass); Miguel Villicana (piano); Gabriel Puentes (drums)
Also David Caceres (vocals/saxophone); Mike Wheeler (guitar); Lisa Vosdoganes (cello) on some tracks.
(Review by Ann Alex.)
Tracks; Till There Was You/ What is This Thing Called Love?/ When October Goes/ They Can't Take That Away from Me/ Creep/ You'd be so Nice to Come Home to/ Black Hole Sun/ I've Never Been in Love Before/ Good Morning Heartache/ I’m not in Love/I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter/ So In Love/ Moon River/ Two for the Road. 
Tianna Hall, from Houston, Texas, is a Grammy recognised vocalist who has been singing jazz since 2004.  She has previously sung in musical theatre and opera and this is her fourth recording.  And all this past experience certainly shows in this superb CD.  What I especially liked is that she seemed to understand all these songs, and how to interpret them.  The song comes first, to be sung without too much drama, no scat and great skill.
The musicians were well up to the job and beyond, with short solos, nothing overdone, and nifty, neat, skilled arrangements.  For instance track 2 had wonderfully shifty drums and an understated vocal; Track 3 was a heartfelt song about loss with only voice and piano; this lead to the gently cheerful saxophone of They can’t Take That away from Me.  For Creep, a song about a woman who felt out of her depth in a relationship, there was a twirling uneasy bass which fitted well.  I loved Good Morning Heartache, where Ms Hall managed to build the tension slowly, with slight stumbles on the words, and the musicians hinted at Cry Me A River. Track 11 was tastefully accompanied by bass only, and on tracks 12 and 13, the vocalist used her voice in a more musical theatre style, to great effect.  I’m glad I got this CD to review as I’ll play it a lot in future, as a lesson in how to sing jazz well.
Two for The Road  Tianna Hall and The Mexico City Jazz Trio was issued in the States in September on the Mighty Pretty Records label.  
Ann Alex
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