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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00.
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. Free.

January 2025

Wed 01: ???

Thu 02: ???

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

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

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

CD Review: Dan Willis and The Velvet Gentleman The Satie Project II

Dan Willis (oboe, soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones, piccolo, English Horn, clarinet, baritone clarinet, contrabass clarinet, duduk, zurna, Chinese flute, hiririchi, yokobue and EWI); Pete McCann (electric guitar); Ron Oswanski (accordion, B3 organ, Wurlitzer, electric piano); Kermit Driscoll (electric and double bass); John Hollenbeck (drums); Richard Sosinsky (double bass (11); Todd Low (ehru); Entcho Todorov (violin); Mark Vanderpoel (electric bass (7); Pablo Reippi (marimba, vibraphone and pitched gongs).
(Review by Steve H).
One of the very few Classical CDs in my collection is an album of piano works by the composer Erik Satie so I was very interested to receive this album with a jazz interpretation of the ‘Velvet Gentleman’s’ work. The CD did not disappoint. The interpretations of Satie’s compositions by Willis are fascinating and the multi instrumental renditions revelatory. This album features 3 main compositions of Satie the Gnossiennes #2 to #6 the Pieces Froides 1,11,111 and 3 takes of Vexations although not necessarily in that order.
Many of the instruments featured I have never heard of.  I thought Duduk and Yokobue were international footballers who played for Liverpool and Everton respectively but they turned out to be just 2 of the 11 instruments Willis plays, including a Hiririchi which not even a Google search could find. The nearest I could get was a Hibachi which is a Japanese barbecue! Fortunately, I found some explanations in the accompanying notes. Willis plays 3 types of double reeded instruments: a Hiririch from Japan, a Dudek and a Zurna from Armenia. Meanwhile a Yokobue is a Japanese flute and an Ehru is a two string Chinese violin. This  amazing collection of instruments makes each tune a delightful discovery where you simply do not know what you will hear next - be it a beautiful Oboe and bowed double bass on Gnossienne #5, an electro fusion on Gnossienne #7 or an oriental jamboree of the aforementioned double reeded instruments on Gnossienne #3.  
For those hoping to hear work similar to the gentle minimalist work of the late 19th century they may be taken aback, but for those wanting to experience a creative, contemporary, unique and exciting creation, they will be wholeheartedly entertained by the whirr of the Wurlitzer, the thrill of the Ehru, the warmth of the Zurna and the happy hiririchi to name but a few. 
The Satie Project 11 is available on Daywood Drive Records.
Steve H.

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