Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Tuesday, September 03, 2013

CD review: griffith hiltz trio - this is what you get...

Johnny Griffith (alt/ten/bs clt); Nathan Hiltz (el. gtr/bs.pedals); Sly Juhas (dms). Hawksley Workman (prod.)
(Review by Lance).
"GHT and Hawksley Workman collide on this head banging, pelvic grinding, soft-shoeing, hippy tripping, soul-soothing, make out session of sweet sounds."
So read the blurb! With such a description I was tempted to pass this one over to Steve who has been known to lurk outside of pet shops with a box of matches. However, the final two words - "sweet sounds" - seemed to be a contradiction of what had went before and my curiosity was aroused.
I opened a can of Old Speckled Hen - I figured I might need a few of these to reach track 10.
Wrong!
It's actually a delightful listen. It doesn't really fit any genre nor is it in a timewarp. It's the music of the past - it's the music of tomorrow played today. Griffith blows gutsy, almost rock tenor, mellow alto and bass clarinet that could have been BG if he'd been born later and opted for bass clarinet.
Guitarist Hiltz operates the bass pedalboard as good as some organ players I've heard and his guitar playing offers extra support as well as solos that swing in both a contemporary and a traditional manner
Sly Juhas' playing is vital capturing the varying moods and responding accordingly.
The griffith hiltz trio are apparently a staple part of the Canadian Jazz scene which includes a weekly residency at Toronto's Rex Hotel. At the Cherry Tree on Monday, owner Peter was telling me about his recent visit to the Beaches Jazz Festival at Toronto - who's to say the trio weren't among vast array of bands stretched over several miles?
griffith hiltz trio - this is what you get... Contact www.ghtrio.com
Lance.

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