Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Thu 19: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: George Shearing Jazz Moments.

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

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

Thursday, November 21, 2013

CD Review: Tim Warfield's Jazzy Christmas.

It's not even December but, already, Santa has jetted out of JFK (don't be doing with that Reindeer/Lapland jazz) with a planeload of his favourite tunes. A selection came down my chimney today. Unfortunately the fire wasn't lit.
Tim Warfield's Jazzy Christmas - Tim Warfield (ten/sop); Terell Stafford (tpt); Stefon Harris (vbs); Cyrus Chestnut (pno); Rodney Whitaker (bs); Clarence Penn (dms); Daniel Sadownick (perc.) Ned Podgurski (pno some tracks); Joanna Pascale, Jamie Davis (vcl)
(Review by Lance)
To get the picture, imagine a corporate outfit hiring a band of jazzmen for the annual grope.
Seasonal tunes played within the bounds of respectability. The bosses and the secretaries stepping outside the bounds of respectability and a good time being had by all. Musically you can't knock it - a gig is a gig and if you've got to play Xmas lift music at least do it well.
These guys do do it well. The soloists don't stray too far away, there are no sounds of surprise but they do manage to blow the jazz inoffensively and swing like crazy with a modicum of creativity. Ideal Xmas Eve music after the kids have gone to bed or Xmas Day when the neighbours and the in-laws are hanging around. Who knows but, if you're on your own, the merry widow from two doors down across the street might be susceptible to your charms and this disc could help convince her that Santa Claus has indeed come to town - Ho Ho Ho - well, if reindeer really can fly...
Tim Warfield's Jazzy Christmas is available on Undaunted Music and hits the streets on November 26.
Lance.

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