Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Charlie Parker was my introduction to the religion of music. And so he's always with me .'' - Downbeat November 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

17950 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 914 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Nov. 7).

From This Moment On ...

November

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Thu 04: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Seasonal/Festive Music & Songs - autumn into winter.
Thu 13: Awen Ensemble @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00. Jazz-folk.
Thu 13: SwanNek + Ellen Beth Adbi + Phantom Bagman @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. A BBC Introducing event.

Fri 14: Dan Johnson Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 14: Giles Strong Quartet @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Brian Jackson @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £32.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 14: Guisborough Big Band @ Saltburn Golf Club. 7:30pm. £12.00 (inc. pie & peas). SOLD OUT!

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00-9:30pm.
Sat 15: Les Frères Frangipane @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 8:00pm (doors 7:30pm). £10.00. ‘Chanson Française’. Fundraiser for Jesmond Community Orchard & Jesmond Library.

Sun 16: Jo Harrop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Duo performance.
Sun 16: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. ‘Jazz Sunday’ with special guest PETE TANTON.
Sun 16: Lorne Lofsky-Nigel Price Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Lofsky (guitar); Price (guitar); Jeremy Brown (double bass); Joel Barford (drums).
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: Lorne Lofsky-Nigel Price Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Lofsky (guitar); Price (guitar); Jeremy Brown (double bass); Joel Barford (drums).

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 17: Finn-Keeble Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

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

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Vinyl Review: Dexter Gordon - Soy Califa

Dexter Gordon (tenor); Kenny Drew (piano); Niels-Hedding Orsted Pederson (bass); Albert "Tootie" Heath (drums).
(Review by Lance).
Recorded live in Copenhagen back in 1967 this is Long Tall Dex at his finest. Comparable with those legendary Blue Note albums so many of us treasure (Gordon also recorded an earlier version of Soy Califa on his Swinging Affair LP with Sonny Clark on piano). Stretching out without any studio restrictions the ideas flow effortlessly, this is tenor playing of the first order. You want to know what swing is? Just listen to this, or any Dexter Gordon disc.
The Blues Up And Down, originally created by two other great tenor players - Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons - takes up all of one side allowing Gordon to gallop totally unbridled through countless choruses of pure joy throwing in a few of his favourite quotes along the way. Drew, an unsung piano hero of the era, reminds us just how good he was both as soloist and accompanist whilst on bass NHOP was building the reputation that led to Oscar Peterson making him his main man for several years. On drums "Tootie" Heath kicks things along on the swinger, spices up the Latin flavoured title track Soy Califa and is gently sympathetic on The Shadow of Your Smile.
Never previously issued on LP or CD, Soy Califa, is the latest vinyl issue from Gearbox Records, a label that is becoming renowned for the quality of sound reproduction.
To learn more about the technology involved or just to check out their mouthwateringly  impressive catalogue visit www.gearboxrecords.com.
Dexter Gordon: Soy Califa available now on Gearbox Records GB1526.
Lance.

1 comment :

Prince Andrew said...

Dexter also recorded an album entitled 'Soy Califa' on the Prestige label

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