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.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

CD Review: FADO EM SI BEMOL

Paulo Goncalves, Miguel Silva (gtr); Pedro Matos (vcl); Nuno Campos (bs); Manuel Santiesteban (perc).
This is quite compelling and hypnotic music! Is it jazz? Maybe it is, maybe it ain't - who cares? It's music and very appealing. So I don't know a word of Portuguese  - in many ways this adds to the appeal! 
Without the distraction of the lyric Matos' voice becomes an instrument and a fine instrument it is too! I can't get over it! If I was a woman I'd be swooning! Maybe I should learn Portuguese and I'd have the women swooning - dream on Senor Lance!
Seriously, it has the appeal of, say, a French chanson with a jazz backing, but, I don't know, there is just that something extra. Love it.
The brainchild behind FADO Em Si Bemol is Goncalves who envisioned combining the  soft sounds of jazz with the flare of Portuguese music. That he succeeded is proof in this album. Goncalves, as well as providing interesting lines behind the vocals, has his own feature on Armando's Rumba which also gives Santiesteban a chance to work out. There's some nice piano in there too ...
Damn it - the disc is finished! No problem - I'm going to play it again Paulo and again and again. Maybe I'll move to Oporto.
What a lovely disc to review - and from Portugal! If there were any justice in the world this disc would put that country back in the red!
The CD FADO EM SI BEMOL is released on November 27 by Vidisco Records and available through the usual suspects ie Amazon etc.
Lance.

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