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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

CD Review: Jacqui Dankworth - Live To Love

Jacqui Dankworth (vocals); Charlie Wood (Fender Rhodes, piano, organ); Chris Allard (acc/elec guitars,); Geoff Gascoyne (elec/acc bass, synth programming, celeste); Ben Castle (sop/ten sax); Mike Smith, Ralph Salmins (drums); Paul Clarvis (percussion) The Brodsky Quartet: Daniel Rowland, Ian Belton(violins); Paul Cassidy (viola);  Jacqueline Thomas (cello).
(Review by Ann Alex)
I agree with the quote from the Guardian critic, who says ‘she exhibits a subtle control of dynamics and a voluptuous tonal richness that seems to make almost any material sound special.’ This is a fine album of love songs, but love in the widest sense, four standards and ten original songs, not wholly jazz but with strong jazz influences.  I was interested to note that there is a slight similarity of tone reminiscent of her mother’s voice (Cleo Lane) and just a hint of her mother’s looks, but Ms Dankworth is very much her own person as a singer.
The four standards are Wayne Shorter’s Palladium, a catchy, jagged tune which seems to go round in circles; I Took Your Hand (Pieranunzi/Feather) all about love at first sight; a gentle version of Someday We’ll All Be Free (Hathaway/Howard); and Johnny Mercer’s Something’s Gotta Give, done so skilfully with just a tricky acoustic bass and voice.  How on earth she kept to the tune is a mystery to me.
The originals include an African-sounding Malala with lots of band soloing, clapping and drumming; All Is Quiet, an anti-slavery song about a lonely slave girl who is symbolised by the melancholy tenor sax; this is wisely followed by an upbeat song in praise of love with a happy keys solo; and we have the entertaining reggae influenced theme from Tomorrow’s World.  No readers, I hadn’t realised that this tune was written by John Dankworth, and Jacqui has added amusing lyrics about quantum mechanics, remember that from school? The Brodsky Quartet add much to tracks such as All Is Quiet, blending their sound well with the more conventional jazz instruments and not standing out as something ‘different’.  And with seven other original tracks, the album makes for good listening.
Jacqui Dankworth - Live To Love is due  for release on September 30 on Specific Jazz There is also a Live To Love tour beginning on October 2, but the nearest it comes to Tyneside is York on October 9.  More info.
Ann Alex.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Congrats on being the only review I've come across that gave the musicians involved. It answered my question. The words synth programming acted like the warning skull and cross bone on a packet of poison.

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