Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise 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

18918 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 782 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 18.) 61.

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

September.

Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Tue 22: ???

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A John Coltrane Centenary Concert (b. 23. 09. 1926). SOLD OUT!
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 24: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 24: Arun Ghosh @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £21.05. (£22.00. on the door). A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 24: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 25: Mark Williams Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Get the Blessing + Dilettante @ The Cluny (Cluny 2), Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00. + bf. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 25: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 26: Adam Fairhall & Johnny Hunter: Play Mary Lou Williams @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 26: John Pope Quintet + Urvashi @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.40. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Sun 27: Salty Dog @ The Cluny. 12:30pm (doors). Free (donations).
Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Zach Sewell-Lara Hopper Quintet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. Ruth Lambert (vocals); Giles Strong (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Sun 27: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Alex Hitchcock Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Monday, September 30, 2013

CD Review: Frank Potenza Quartet - For Joe.

Frank Potenza, John Pisano (gtr); Jim Hughart (bs); Colin Bailey (dms).
(Review by Roly V.)
When you listen to a new CD and feel compelled to listen to it over and over, it must be a good one!
Guitarist Frank Potenza is a Joe Pass protégée who has gone on to work with many jazz luminaries among them Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody and Mose Allison. You can see why – he has subtle accompaniment skills, is capable of exciting yet lyrical improvisations and all executed with a gorgeous, singing tone.
On this recording, as the title implies a tribute to the late Joe Pass, he joins with the very players who were with Pass when he made the classic For Django album back in 1964. Fellow guitarist John Pisano is a seasoned veteran, a much admired player's player, who has worked with many top international artists. Bassist Jim Hughart and drummer Colin Bailey complete the quartet. All are wonderful sympathetic, unselfish, listening rhythm section players who must be a joy to work with. The four support each other in a delightful way all contributing to a jazz guitar CD that must stand with the best around.
The style is essentially bebop and there is more than a hint of Pass in Potenza's playing, but he is no copyist. Pisano too has a fair amount of solo opportunity and there are some delightful contrapuntal exchanges between the two, the intro to Earl Hines' Rosetta in particular.
Difficult to pick out high points in a CD of such overall high standard. There are two very nice colla voce intros from Potenza to For Django, the well known Pass composition, and Ellington's Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me. Both guitarists enjoy a tear up on another Pass composition Catch Me and there is a lovely samba, Voce by Menescal/Boscoli. Pisano plays the head on his own tune Blues for Joe.
I think this CD will appeal to anyone interested in high class jazz guitar in the Joe Pass tradition but more than that, to anyone who simply appreciates beautifully played jazz whatever the instrumentation. No doubt whatsoever – Joe would have a big smile of approval.
Frank Potenza Quartet - For Joe is available on Capri Records.
Roly.
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive