Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

CD Review: Jeremy Fox - With Love

Dr. Jeremy Fox (arranger, conductor, producer, engineer) Various vocalists; also ...
Daniel Strange (piano); Rene Toledo (acoustic and electric guitars); Geoffrey Saunders (bass); Michael Piolet (drums). Complete list of players, including strings, go to: 
(Review by Ann Alex.)
This CD is a fine compilation of (mostly) jazz standards, arranged by Jeremy Fox, and sung by acclaimed vocalists who have won Grammys and other awards.  Says Dr. Fox ‘They had the innate ability to make this music come alive – with integrity, with passion, with positive energy, with love.’   I cannot add anything to that, except to outline each track.
1/ That Old Feeling is sung about by Kate Reid, a spot-on interpretation, big band sound featuring tenor sax, with a neat bit of scat and a timely stop of the music at the words ‘heart stood still’.  This reminded me of every old black and white Hollywood film that I’ve ever watched.
2/ All MY Tomorrows features flugelhorn and the sound of strings, to suit the tender singing of Kate McGarry.
3/ Next comes a Latin version of Three Little Words, featuring strings and clarinet, and the voice of Kevin Mahogany
4/ Get Out Of Town begins with a staccato big band sound which suits the amusing edginess of the lyrics, and then becomes a fast swing, featuring a tenor sax and the singing of Derek Fawcett.
5/ Sunny Wilkinson sings Sondheim’s Not While I’m Around, featuring a doleful violin.  Feelingly played and sung.
6/ An alto sax features on Girl Talk, sung skilfully by Wendy Pedersen.  I found myself comparing these lyrics with those of The Lady Is A Tramp.  I much prefer the portrayal of womanhood in the latter song – just a thought.
7/ Dindi is sung by Rose Max and Ramatis Moraes, in Spanish (or Portugese?), with lovely viola accompaniment, and the verse is included for good measure.
8/ Next comes Friendship, an original composed by the singer Anders Edenroth, including flugelhorn, flute and cello.
9/ I’m Glad There Is You, sung by Peter Eldridge, features guitar and horn.
10/ Moonray gives us some neat vocalese from singer Lauren Kinhan, with the big band sound and a featured keyboard
11/ Kate Reid sings again on the final track, So Many Stars, to the accompaniment of piano and strings.
This would be a suitable CD to play at your next party, or simply for listening.
The CD was issued on April 15 on the Jazzbill Records label.
Ann Alex   

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