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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 2025).

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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 21: Durham Jazz Fest @ Dunelm House, Durham Students' Union, Durham. 1:00pm ('til late). £10.00. Line-up inc. Durham University Big Band; Durham University Jazz Society; Northern Lights A Cappella; Durham University Jazz Orchestra; Cache Out; Flo & Co; Holy Grale Sessions.
Sat 21: Jason Holcomb Jazz Ensemble @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 5:30-7:30pm. Free. A 'Sunderland Year of Music' event.
Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

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, January 01, 2014

CD Review: Pete Mills - Sweet Shadow

Pete Mills (ten); Pete McCann (gtr); Erik Augis (pno); Martin Wind (bs); Matt Wilson (dms).
Jazz is a never ending voyage of discovery. You become complacent, blasé the old ennui takes over - you've heard it all before and then - Flash! Bang! Alakazam! Pete Mills segues by! From Canada, Toronto of all places. Toronto I ask you? Then you think back and recall that one of the greatest jazz concerts ever took place at Massey Hall in that very city. Bird, Diz, Bud, Mingus, Roach back in 1953. An autograph collected by Mills' father at that concert is reproduced among the album notes and it becomes obvious that the son has jazz genes inherited from his papa.
But, although the past has clearly channelled the talented tenorist in the right direction this is no mere attempt at a nostalgic update. This is today without jettisoning yesterday. A rich sound that delivers solos as welcoming to the ear as a delivered pizza is to the stomach. A mix of nine original compositions plus Roland Kirk's Serenade to a Cuckoo; The Star Crossed Lovers, the Duke, Strayhorn tribute to Romeo and Juliet from Such Sweet Thunder; Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend and a couple of free form outings that aren't too outré make for a disc that can hold it's own with almost anything I've heard lately.
Don't get me wrong, this isn't all Mills. McCann is another impressive soloist. Sweeping angular lines and chordal thrashes that stray into Rockland contrast with moments of rare delicacy and beauty - listen to Star Crossed Lovers and you'll get the picture.
From Columbus Ohio, Erik Augis is another talent deserving of wider recognition - with this disc he should get it.
Wilson and Wind (dig the bowed solo on Diamonds) are integral components providing the vital parts to make this an early contender.
Available from Amazon and all on-line retailers from January 14, 2014.
Lance.
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