Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

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: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

CD Reviews: Eileen Howard - Blues in the Green Room and Street of Dreams

Blues in the Green Room - Eileen Howard Live at the Garden Theatre: Eileen Howard (vcl); Ed Moed (keys); Randy Mather (sax); David Bennett (gtr); Chris Ciampa (bs); The Governor (dms).
---- 
Street of Dreams: Eileen Howard (vcl); Richard Lopez (pno); Roger Hines (bs); Matt Wagner (dms); Michael Cox (sax/clt).
(Review by Lance)
Two CD's from Eileen Howard, a lady unfamiliar to my ears. Paradoxically, Eileen tells me that ten years ago she was in Corbridge with her husband on a tour of the Roman Wall. Ten years ago I could have been cycling in the Corbridge area! who's to say we weren't having lunch in the same pub? If we had I'm sure it would have been Easy to Remember. - a song sung beautifully on the live recording. Both discs have much to recommend them not least because of the choice of tunes but particularly the way Howard deals with them. My reaction to Fever and Black Coffee was to groan - "Not again!" And then I listened! Nothing will replace Peg's versions but, if you'd heard these tracks first then maybe, just maybe the positions would be reversed.
This girl can sing the blues no doubt - imagine Bessie Smith digitally recorded with the rough edges slightly smoothed and you've got Eileen in the Green Room.  Then there's Ida Cox's Wild Women Don't Have The Blues, a number associated with the elusive Nancy Harrow. Eileen throws her underwear into the ring without the help Harrow got from Buck Clayton's Band and emerges triumphant!
Street of Dreams is a less earthy affair but still allows the taste buds to flow with as  fine a selection of gasbook interpretations this side of Frank and Ella and her take on The Nearness of You would do credit to either of the aforementioned icons.
Both discs have immaculate backing with the two sax players gilding the lily.
It saddens me to think she passed through our area without warbling a note although I suppose work permits and things also stepped in but, in my dreams, I'm sitting in the Bluebell in Corbridge enjoying a pint of  one of Wylam Breweries finest when an American lady stands up, looks at me and sings Will You Dance? Will I?! Then I awake and find I'm smooching the duvet!
Still, I've got the CDs!
 Lance..
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1 comment :

Eileen Howard said...

Thanks for the great review! Now, who wants to give me a gig in the UK so I can come drink a pint with Lance?

Saturday, October 19, 2013 10:41:00 pm

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