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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. 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: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
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: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

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

Thursday, March 14, 2013

CD Review: Scottish National Jazz Orchestra - In The Spirit of Duke.

Tommy Smith (ten/md); Ru Pattison (alt/sop/clt); Martin Kershaw (alt/clt); Konrad Wiszniewski (alt/ten/clt); Bill Fleming (alt/bar/bs. clt/clt); Ryan Quigley, Cameron Jay, Tom McNiven, James Marr (tpt); Chris Grieve, Phil O'Malley (tmb); Michael Owers (bs. tmb); Brian Kellock (pno); Calum Gourley (bs); Alyn Cosker (dms).
There will be few better records than this released this year - or any other year! SNJO, led by Tommy Smith and recorded live on their 2012 Scottish tour, pay homage to Duke and, in doing so, somehow manage to put their own stamp on it. The material ranges from the 1920's Creole Love Call, featuring a clarinet trio, Tom McNiven growling like Bubber on Black and Tan Fantasy to more contemporary material such as selections from the, at the time, controversial Peer Gynt Suite. In the Hall of the Mountain King, Anitra's Dance and Morning Mood are the works chosen and I'm sure Greig would appreciate these versions as well as the originals.
Le Sucrier Velous, Sunset and the Mocking Bird and The Single Petal of a Rose are from The Queen's Suite. The latter being a gorgeous duet between pianist Brian Kellock and tenorist/leader Tommy Smith.
The Queen's Suite was written after Duke met Queen Elizabeth II at a Leeds Festival in 1958. Only a single pressing was made and Duke sent it to HRH. Tommy Smith's theory is that Ellington fell madly in love with the then 32 year old Queen. It was never released commercially during Ellington's lifetime.
In between the early and later stuff there is, naturally, lots from the late 30's and the 1940's Famous Orchestra. Ryan Quigley is at his most feline on Rockin' In Rhythm, Jack The Bear, Ko-Ko, Prelude to a Kiss, Daybreak Express, Concerto for Cootie, Harlem Airshaft and Sepia Serenade. Throughout, Kellock carries off the Ducal roll with distinction - never more so than in Kinda Dukish - but the wailing choruses a la Gonsalves by Tommy Smith on Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue coupled with Quigley's explorations into the stratosphere make for a fitting finale to a great disc.
If ever they do another Scottish tour, I'll don kilt and tam o'shanter, eat haggis, drink Johnnie Walker and Tak the High Road... Or maybe I'll just board the East Coast Train to Edinburgh (Do East Coast do an A Train I wonder?)
Why should I buy this when I've got the originals you may ask? Good question. 
1) Well, it's anything from 40 - 90 years >< and recording techniques have improved amazingly.
2) The Ellington Band were never the most precise of outfits (albeit that was part of their charm for some - less so for others).
3) SNJO do such a brilliant job of adding their own nuances, both ensemble-wise and solo-wise, that one complements the other.
Lance.
Scottish National Jazz Orchestra - In The Spirit of Duke. Released on Spartacus STS 017 on March 13. Order here.


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