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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

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

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.

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

Monday, November 25, 2013

CD review: Tianna Hall and Chris Cortez: Noel

Tianna Hall (vocals); Chris Cortez (guitar, additional vocals); Anthony Sapp (bass); Paul English (piano); Tom Cummings (vibes, drums); Dennis Dotson (trumpet);  Woody Witt (tenor sax, clarinet); Warren Sneed (alto sax, flute); Thomas Hulten (Trombones); Joel Fulgham, Memo Rezo (drums, various tracks)
(Review by Ann Alex)
Christmas has come to BSH, in the form of sweet-voiced Tianna Hall and the band, doing well known Christmas songs in a jazz style which pleasantly avoids the sentimental trap of some Christmas music, thank goodness.  
Nine Noel favourites, well played, some carols with intriguing hints of the riffs you sang in church as a child, if church music can be said to have riffs.  The Angels (Angels From The Realms Of Glory); A Child Is Born/Christmas Time Is Here; Santa Claus Is Coming To Town; The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire); We Three Kings; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen; Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel; Santa Baby; and What Are You Doing New year’s Eve?
This would be a lovely CD to play at your Christmas party, but also authentic solid jazz for listening.
For instance, A Child Is Born is sung with reverence, the piano flows, the tenor sax solos well; Santa Claus Is Coming To Town with just jazz guitar accompaniment and a duet with fun scat; We Three Kings bring gifts of an effective guitar solo and a 4-note riff, repetitions of ‘travelling far’ and ‘orient are’; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is an instrumental with a tricky guitar solo; and Santa Baby is done sexily, with a ‘calling’ voice and winsome guitar, so how could Santa resist?  Plenty solos throughout for horns and brass, so what’s not to like?  It’s hard to believe that this was all recorded in Houston in the heat of August, well in time for Christmas shopping!
Released November 26 on the Blue Bamboo Music label.
Ann Alex 

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