Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18504 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 368 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 7 ) 22

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

May

Fri 08: Alan Law Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Law, Mick Shoulder, John Bradford.
Fri 08: Giles Strong & Richard Herdman @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Guitar duo.
Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 6:00pm . Free. A Late Shows event.
Fri 08: Nigel Kennedy @ The Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Line-up inc. Alec Dankworth.
Fri 08: Salty Dog @ Station East, Hills Street, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.

Sat 09: The Vieux Carré Hot 4 'Festival of Blossom' @ Seaton Delaval Hall National Trust. 12:30 - 3.00pm. Free event (admission applies).
Sat 09: SH#RP Collective w. Lindsay Hannon @ Church of Holy Name, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00 (inc. a welcome drink). Advance booking essential. Bring own snacks, drinks to be purchased at ‘donations’ bar. All proceeds to charity. A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sat 09: East Coast Swing Band @ Jubilee Hall, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £10.00.

Sun 10: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 12 noon. Free. Note earlier start.
Sun 10: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 10: The Chet Set @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.
Sun 10: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.

Mon 11: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 12: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Hey Remember This @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 14: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Philip Larkin’s Jazz Experiment.
Thu 14: Jerron Paxton @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb country blues.
Thu 14: Jacob Egglestone @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Egglestone (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass); Jack Littlewood (drums) & guests.

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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