Bebop Spoken There

John Donegan: ''What you take in through your ears can come out through your fingers.'' (Notes to Which Direction October, 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

19,041 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 905 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 26) 84.

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

October.

Tue 27: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. guest Julija Jacenaite.
Tue 27: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Wed 28: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 28: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 28: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 29: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 29: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 29: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 29: Radio Pensacola Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Featuring guest Jan Spencelayh.
Thu 29: Simon Taylor Band @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. £8.00.
Thu 29: King Bees @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

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

Sat 31: Saltburn Big Band + Durham Alumni Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Sat 31: East Coast Swing Band @ Cramlington Village Club, Park View, Cramlington NE23 6QJ. 7:30pm. £10.00. (from venue).

November

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Donna Hewitt (tenor sax, clarinet)
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Sarah Heneghan Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Monday, March 18, 2013

CD Review: RENEE YOXON & MARK FERGUSON – HERE WE GO AGAIN

Renee Yoxon – vocal; Mark Ferguson – piano and trombone; Jeff Asselin – drums; Joel Kerr – bass; Rene Gely – guitar; Frank Lozano – tenor sax; Craig Pederson – trumpet.
Self released, March 12th 2013.
(Review by Debra Milne)
Here We Go Again is the second album from up and coming Canadian jazz vocalist Renee Yoxon, who has teamed up with Ottawan pianist, trombonist, composer & arranger Mark Ferguson.  The project of entirely original compositions explores themes of love, the most poetic of which are, not surprisingly, melancholic.  As a result, most of the tracks are slow tempo songs and ballads, which showcase Yoxon’s clear, warm voice and Ferguson’s delicate piano led ensemble.  
The album opens with ‘So Far’, exploring maritime metaphors to describe a drifting relationship, and which features the first of several absorbing piano solos by Ferguson. Following on from ‘Drinking Coffee’, which would probably suit a Country  music setting better than jazz ,  the 3rd and title track ‘Here We Go Again’ stands out from the rest, with a dynamic contemporary feel, due to a combination of  change in time signature, and more active contributions from the ensemble, especially Frank Lozano on tenor sax. ‘Watching’ is particularly compelling, beginning with a bowed double bass intro, and includes a haunting trumpet solo by Craig Pederson.  
The theme of love and death is continued in ‘Canary’, Yoxon’s addition to that little known canon of songs about deceased birds (a small prize awaits the first reader who can name any of the others).  In contrast, when she is newly in love, in ‘There’s Only You’ and ‘Just As We Are’, the music is up tempo and swinging.  Lozano’s agile, lyrical tenor solos are an unexpected highlight of several tracks, notably in ‘Have We Been In Love Before?’, and ‘Sao Paulo’.  The latter is a Latin instrumental where the melodic line is sung in unison with the sax, underpinned by the rhythmic  ensemble, including Rene Gely on guitar. The blues work out 1-2-3, also provides some light relief, and gives Yoxon the opportunity to let loose some serious scatting, interchanging phrases with Ferguson on trombone.  
Overall, Yoxon shows promise as a songwriter and interpreter of lyrics, but the album would have benefitted from a broader variety of material.
Debra M.
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