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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17921 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 242 of them this year alone and, so far, 89 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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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