Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Thu 08: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones of 1976.

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
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.

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

Saturday, September 21, 2013

CD Review: Synergy - Nine Tales of the Pendulum

Mick Coady (bs); David Binney (alt); Michael Buckley (ten); Ivo Neame (pno); Sean Carpio (dms).
(Review by Lance)
Led by Irish bassist Mick Coady this is undoubtedly from the cutting edge of contemporary jazz - as Jazz Journal described it. However, it still retains a sense of form and remains within the bounds of sanity. Binney is an outstanding alto player, the American is rightly considered a giant of the saxophone world and he backs those claims up with ease. Not that his frontline partner Buckley is in anyway overshadowed he holds his own in the ensembles and solos with intense feeling. Neame we've known about for a long time as an exceptional piano talent capable of dealing with any situation. Coady and fellow Irishman Carpio handle the engine room chores expertly.

Coady though isn't' only a fine bass player, he's a composer of great merit and a fascinating character to boot.
He has travelled the world in a quest to quench his thirst for learning about various genres of music. He's been to India, China and Thailand learning from the masters of these indigenous musics. He also studied at Berklee. Absorbing and adapting this vast experience into a musical melting pot has allowed him to take motifs, rhythms and harmonies from some of the most interesting and fascinating, not to mention little heard outside of their country of origin, genres and serve them up on a base of contemporary jazz.
The Nine Tales of the Pendulum are - Autumn/Enemies of Order/Real Ballad*/Naturally Liberating Molecules/64 Claudio Coella/Unseen Coracle**/Abyss/Beginning/Skimpy.
* Composed by Binney. ** Composed by Neame, all others by Coady.
All in all a compelling musical journey - you may want a return or even a season ticket for the trip.
Mick Coady's SYNERGY feat. David Binney - Nine Tales of the Pendulum is on Jellymould records and released on October 1, 2013.
Lance.
PS: Synergy, with Julian Arguelles and James Maddren replacing Buckley and Carpio, tour in October.
11th: Symphony Hall, Birmingham.
13th: Marsden Jazz Festival.
15th: Con Cellar Bar, London.
17th: Band on the Wall, Manchester.
18th: Denhaag, Holland.

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