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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick TD15 1AS. 7:30pm. Free. Album launch gig.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

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, April 10, 2014

CD Review: Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra - Strength in Numbers

Pete McGuinness (tmb/vcl/md/arr/comp); Jon Owens, Tony Kadlek, Bill Mobley, Chris Rogers (tpts); Bruce Eidem, Mark Patterson, Matt Haviland, Jeff Nelson (tmbs); Dave Pietro (alt/sop/fl), Marc Phaneuf (alt/fl); Tom Christensen (ten/fl); Jason Rigby (ten/sop/clt); Dave Reikenberg (bar/bs clt); Mike Holober (pno); Andy Eulau (bs); Scott Neumann (dms).
(Review by Lance).
Yet another fine big band from The States led by vocalist and trombonist McGuinness. With remarkable restraint, McGuinness restricts himself to only two vocal features - What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? and You Don't Know What Love is which makes one wonder what the lady's response was to the initial question! 
On trombone Trixie's Little Girl demonstrates the leader's gorgeous sound (Urbie Green or Carl Fontana spring to mind here) and Bittersweet is self explanatory. McGuinness also composed most and arranged all of the tracks including a samba version of Beautiful Dreamer - Stephen Foster would never have believed his song was still doing the rounds 150 years on! 
Apart from McGuinness, Reikenberg's baritone puts him in the TDWR category and Jeff Nelson's bass trombone solo on The Swagger reminds us that the leader isn't the only slideman in the band. Another trombone player, Bruce Eidem, manipulates the plunger a la Tricky Sam after the vocal on You Don't Know etc. inspiring McGuinness to a scat chorus. Saxes Pietro, Phaneuf and Rigby and trumpets Rogers and Mobley also make their mark. Mobley goes for it on Nasty Blues making "Nasty" very "Tasty" indeed!
Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra - Strength in Numbers now available on Summit Records.
Lance.
PS:  Lately it's been a good time for big bands. The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra CD reviewed yesterday, The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and the Norrbotten Big Band at GIJF and recent gigs by the local Customs House Big Band and the Strictly Smokin' Big Band, not to mention the Teesside big bands of which there appears to be one on every corner whilst way out west,  Hexham way...
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