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

18445 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 309 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 20 ) 43,

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

April

Thu 23: FILM: Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 6:15pm. Dir. Robert Clem (2025).
Thu 23: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 23: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 23: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra & Musicians Unlimited @ ARC, Stockton. 8:00pm. £19.00. inc. bf.

Fri 24: Noel Dennis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. Dennis, Mark Willams, Andy Champion. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Trio Grand @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Ben Vince + The Exu @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £14.33., £11.16, £8.00. A ‘jazz adjacent’ gig!
Fri 24: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £13.20 (inc. bf).
Fri 24: TBC @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.

Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ni Maxine + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sun 26: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 26: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00., £7.00.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: House of Blues @ the Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00., £5.00. advance. A student-led jazz session. ‘House of Blues’ is, perhaps, a misnomer.
Mon 27: Littlewood Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00 + bf, £7.00. + bf.

Tue 28: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Hackney Colliery Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £25.00.

Wednesday, April 02, 2014

CD Review: Johanna Graham Quartet - Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight.

Johanna Graham (voice); Martin Bowie (gtr); Tim Greenhalgh (bs); Damian Rodd (dms) + Rory Simmons (tpt).
(Review by Lance)
I usually farm out vocal CDs to my team of vocal experts - I mean, how many more times do I want to hear Summertime? However, occasionally I pull rank and say "This is mine!"
Which is what I've done with this one even though it does contain the dreaded Summertime!
This is Ms Graham's début album and already I'm short-listing it.
Given the current attention being paid to the return of Kate Bush it is perhaps fitting that the album opens with The Man with the Child in his Eyes. Lightly swinging, trumpet and guitar solos, immaculate bass and drums and a vocal that offers a credible alternative to the Kate Bush version.
Funny, a Nat King Cole hit from the 1950s, is an emotive tale of lost love. Johanna fighting her feelings and almost having us (and herself) believing it. Masterful storytelling.
Lennon and McCartney released I Will on the legendary White Album and Graham brings her own take to the table - delicious and enhanced by Simmons' tightly muted trumpet.
Too Much, an original by Graham and Martin Bowie, has echoes of bygone divas such as Ella, Anita, Shirley Horn and present days wonders such as Diana Krall and Claire Martin. Fine open horn on this one and nice West Coast (USA) guitar sound. I'm Through With Love - if I had to choose just one tune from the album this would be it! Fortunately, I don't have to make that very difficult choice particularly as the next track is James Taylor's Don't Let me be Lonely Tonight.
People are Strange is a reminder of the quality of music laid down by The Doors and once again our girl proves she can do covers that don't sound like covers. The second original by Graham and Bowie, Empty Serenade, is a sorrowful, reflective piece made all the more melancholic by Greenhalgh's bass. Is this just a song or is she really pouring her heart out ? Either way she gets the message across.
More sadness - When Sunny Gets Blue - but with hope for the future...
No hope for the future in Stormy Weather but Johanna Graham's performance suggests a rosy future for her! The scatting rounds off an excellent disc.
And now it's time to hold up my hand and say that the bonus track - Summertime - is the least worst version of that overworked tune!
Highly recommended.   
Lance.
The CD: Johanna Graham Quartet - Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight (Label - 33 Records) is being launched at Pizza Express, Dean St., Soho, London on May 25.
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive