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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Sunday, September 29, 2013

CD Review: Paul Edis Not Like Me

Paul Edis (piano).
(Review by Russell)
Paul Edis deservedly won praise for his sextet’s debut album There Will Be Time and his first solo piano recording is set to win further plaudits. This review of twelve tracks (nine of them composed by Edis) was undertaken without the usual accompanying notes indicating titles and running times. So, in a blindfold test, what to make of it? The album title is intriguing… Not Like Me. Having heard Edis in concert on numerous occasions,  one observation is that this is just like him!

It is evident that a fine piano was at his disposal and Edis makes best use of it. The opening track signals a conversational style; simple right hand motif, left hand explorations and a wonderful sudden ending. Notes made during the second track read ‘ballad…flowing…contemporary composition’. But was this an original composition? Difficult to tell. A good sign. The first of the standards  - Round Midnight - features Edis’ thoughtful approach to classic jazz material. How to say something new about Monk.? Play the tune, let it happen. Edis does just that. 
Another Edis composition has the pianist under the lid to attend to the plumbing. A mid-tempo, down beat melody develops into complex textures, punctuated by a dark chord change, then another. Track five, hinting at My Favourite Things, highlights flowing two-handed piano as the composer gets inside the tune, thoroughly examining it with another great ending. 
A slower tempo number reveals the melody-rich Edis, the sort of tune a vocalist could pick up on. The seventh installment, with an element of nursery rhyme, hears solid two handed playing, sustained notes ringing out. The eighth reminds the listener of Edis’ classical background - an introspective intro of descending lines which wouldn't be out of place on the concert platform. 
My Favourite Things swings with a blues feel and a  touch of stride. Hear Edis play this live and you will struggle to suppress the cry Bravo!  The penultimate number has to be heard. Bring Me Sunshine is a tour de force; comic, pub sing-a-long, (the brilliant) Les Dawson and the equally brilliant Dudley Moore. Bravo!  The final composition sketches delicate improvisations across an uncluttered, quiet canvas. Not Like Me is, at present, available as a download. Essential listening. www.pauledis.co.uk
Russell.

2 comments :

Paul Edis said...

Thanks for the great review! Apologies for the lack of track listings - I thought I'd put a sleeve with the CD...in case you're still curious(?!) the tracks are as follows
1 Pulse
2 From Nothing to Nowhere
3 Round Midnight
4 Eastern
5 Not like me
6 For Bill
7 Vignette
8 Olivier
9 My Favourite Things
10 Beneath the Surface
11 Bring Me Sunshine
12 Sunrise
Thanks again!

Anonymous said...

I've occasionally heard Paul Edis play solo pieces at gigs where he is part of a group but sadly have never had the opportunity to get to one of his solo piano performances, so what a delight to discover he has made a solo album. I'm a CD (or vinyl) man myself but in this case an instant download was required. What a great album and what a variety of styles and influences! Russell did a very good job in his 'ears only' review picking up on the sources Edis has integrated into the tracks - Bill Evans, Monk, classical, improv, stride and I think I can hear Tatum come in the door a few times. However, while the shade of Les Dawson does hang over Bring Me Sunshine, surely the credit should go to Eric M and Andre Preview (and the notes are still not in the right order!).
JC

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