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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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, March 06, 2014

CD Review: Pigfoot - 21st Century Acid Trad.

Chris Batchelor (tpt); Liam Noble (pno); Oren Marshall (tuba); Paul Clarvis (dms).
(Review by Lance)
Acid Rock, Acid Jazz and now Acid Trad!
I can hear Jelly Roll Morten claiming, as he rolls over in his grave," Acid Trad? I sure didn't invent that. I invented most of them but I don't recall inventing that one. Maybe it was that ofay cat Ropollo who went nuts." 
Two CDs in the same vein but oh so far apart. 
The previous review of the Danish band was of a respectful and innovative take on earlier jazz. This isn't.
Four musicians who's talents should have been much better employed at doing what they do best - playing modern/contemporary - rather than this attempt to put a Formula One engine into a Model T.
In fairness, the solos are okay. Removed from the context of this CD - Noble's take on Tennessee Waltz in particular would impress anywhere - but, I'm sorry, if I'd listened to this before I heard the Danish disc I may have been more sympathetic towards it. 
Doesn't bring home the bacon so I'll settle for a bottle of beer and pass on the pigfoot..
Lance

5 comments :

Unknown said...

2/3rd of the review is devoted to chastising Pigfoot for doing something original? Is this a parody?

Lance said...

To me it is. Four great musicians whose talents I felt should have been channelled in a more contemporary groove, I'll stick with the earlier classic versions. However, if this disc brings awareness of the past to the present generation of jazz listeners then I'll rethink my views.

Anonymous said...

Hey Lance, if what these musicians are playing is what you call 'modern/contemporary' and if this involves innovation and if innovation means changing things, then aren't they doing something entirely appropriate for the kind of musicians that they are? Your analogy ('putting a Formula One engine into a Model T') suggests that what they're doing is inappropriate and it does so by way of a rather conservative idea that different types of music (like different types of cars) should be kept apart. To me, this notion that forms shouldn't be mixed and that experiments shouldn't take place is really the antithesis of jazz. I think the Pigfoot album is the most exciting one I've heard for a long while and I have to say I think you've misheard it here.

Lance said...

You could be right! I've played it a few times and I must confess to softening towards it albeit I'm still not at the "most exciting album" stage yet! I still prefer Satchmo's Basin Street Blues although I'll grant you that Pigfeet have the edge on Pee Wee Hunt when it comes to Twelfth Street Rag.

Anonymous said...

Great Lance, I'm glad it's growing on you.

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