Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18992 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 856 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 11) 35.

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.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 4:45pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: NW FRQNC @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. Selina Albright, Gianni Vancini.
Wed 14: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 15: Leah Kirk: A Strange Affair @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Leah Kirk (vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 15: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. PJO w. guest Graham Hardy (trumpet).

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Ancient Infinity Orchestra @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 16: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01. adv.; £15.00. on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick. 8:00pm. Free.

Sat 17: SunOrbitUs @ Culture House, Sunderland. 11:00am - 5:00pm. Closing event in a year-long piece of music. 11:00am-1:00pm Improvisation workshop w. Faye MacCalman; 2:00-5:00pm Collective Improvised Performance by Sunderland residents. SOLD OUT!
Sat 17: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 17: Martin Taylor @ Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £48.72; £43.37. Solo guitar. SOLD OUT!

Monday, August 19, 2013

LP Review: Michael Garrick Sextet - Prelude to Heart is a Lotus.

Michael Garrick (pno/harpsichord/celeste); Ian Carr (tpt); Don Rendell (alt/sop/fl); Jim Phillips (fl/ten?); Coleridge Goode (bs); Trevor Tompkins (perc.) - 1968.
(Review by Lance)
Gearbox records are a class act presenting previously unheard recordings on quality vinyl. This has to be one of the most precious.
The Michael Garrick Sextet have long held a justifiably revered position in the annals of British jazz and this release goes a long way to explaining the reason why.
In 1970 Garrick recorded The Heart is a Lotus with Norma Winstone, it was released on Argo. Prelude to Heart is a Lotus, recorded two years earlier for a BBC radio broadcast, has never been available until now,
All compositions are by Garrick who sadly died in November 2011.
They are cracking pieces and show everyone off to advantage including the mystery tenor man on Sweet and Sugary Candy. He's not listed on the sleeve and it's not Don Rendell as the tenor can be heard riffing behind Rendell's soprano. I guess it's Jim Phillip although the album details only list him as being on flute.
Carr shines throughout, mainly muted, with suggestions of Miles. Goode does his Slam Stewart bowed vocal impression and the leader plays two fisted piano. Oh yes and Tompkins kicks it along like a contemporary George Wettling.
On Webster's Mood - Rendell is listed as playing alto although it does have a tenor sound. He switches to flute for Song by the Sea. Temple Dancer has some exotic wailing by the horns and suitably Asian sounds come from the rhythm section.
Little Girl is quite beautiful painting a rich tapestry of harmonic colour. Carr is at his most Milesian here. Rendell lyricises  on soprano over Goode's bass.
I'm not sure if something recorded in 1968 qualifies as my record of the year but if it does it's a front runner.
The analogue vinyl sound is far superior to the average CD and isn't it wonderful to be able to read album notes without a magnifying glass?
Lance.
at

1 comment :

Lance said...

It is reported that this LP, in the space of a few days, has become Gearbox's best selling album and a second pressing may be imminent.
Justifiably so.

Friday, August 23, 2013 10:14:00 pm

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