Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 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

19,105 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 969 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Nov. 14) 39.

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

November

Sun 15: Lianne Carroll: Jazz Vocal Weekend Workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 9:30am-5:00pm. Day 2/2. SOLD OUT!
Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ The Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe. 7:00pm. £48.18 (to include dinner); £17.43 (concert only).
Sun 15: Sarah Gillespie & Chris Montague @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sun 15: Liane Carroll @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Solo performance. SOLD OUT!

Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Jacob Egglestone, Paul Grainger, Joe Deans.
Tue 17: Grammy Season (Laubrock/Seabrook/Lovato/Rainey) @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm. JNE.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 19: Papa G’s Troves @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 19: Marina Josephina @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £10.60; £10.60.; £8.50 Early Bird.

Fri 20: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: The Music of Duke Ellington @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Customs House Big Band @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.

Sat 21: Pete Tanton Duo @ Awesome Frank’s, West Jesmond Metro Station, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.00.
Sat 21: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Westovian Theatre, South Shields. 7:30pm. £18.00.

Monday, June 03, 2013

CD Review: Caecilie Norby: Silent Ways

Caecilie Norby (vocal); Lars Danielsson (cello, bass, acoustic guitars, tambourine); Leszek Mozdzer (piano); Nguyen Le (electric guitars, electronics); Robert Mehmet Ikiz (drums, percussion); also Marius Neset (tenor and soprano sax)
(Review by Ann Alex)
This is a totally enjoyable CD, but it mostly doesn't have that certain feel of ‘jazz’ (I'm open to contradiction from anyone else who hears it), except for some jazz influence on 3 of the tracks. 
Danish Ms Norby sang in the classical music world until she was aged 14, when one day she heard Creedence Clearwater Revival at a school party, which changed her musical perspective.  Nowadays,  she prefers not to have much regard for musical genres.  
For this CD, she picked out 11 of her favourite singer-songwriter melodies, plus a self-composed number, and, the insert says, played them with jazz and classical influences.  The band improvises, the voice has a wide range, and is beautifully expressive, yet the overall effect comes across to me as heavy rock, and reminded me of the supergroups of the 1970’s such as Genesis or Yes.  Perhaps it is the double tracking, lots of use of electronics, and an occasional ‘wall of sound’ effect, I don't know.
Anyway, the songs are well chosen, including Leonard Cohen’s Winter Lady; and In My Secret Life; Tom Waits’ Diamonds And Gold; (good strong rhythmic percussion); Papa Was A Rolling Stone (jazzy piano and eastern type guitar) Dylan’s Like A Rolling Stone (a fascinating Caribbean arrangement); a wonderfully modulated voice on Silent Ways.  Other tracks are Stepping Stone; Hurt; Hearts and Bones; Have You Ever Seen The Rain; Black Hole Sun; and the self composed Hymnen.  
Released on 3rd June 2013 by ACT Music
Ann Alex


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