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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. 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: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
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: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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, June 22, 2014

CD Review: Fred Hersch Trio – Floating.

 Fred Hersch(pno); John Hebert (bass); Eric McPherson (dms).
(Review by David Brownlow).
This is the first Fred Hersch Trio studio album in four years after a series of “live” sessions featuring the same personnel.  A fine player, influenced by some of the “greats” – Evans, Peterson, & Jamal among them, Hersch has evolved his own style which is highly technical, imaginative, searching, emotional and inspiring. The CD follows the typical pattern of a Hersch Trio set when the opener is a standard, followed by some original music, then a ballad from the GAS book and finally ending with a Monk piece.
You And The Night And The Music is played in a quasi – classical style with elements of fugue, minuet and contrapuntal work incorporated. The familiar chords of the song help the listener to follow the intricately – woven rhapsodic improvisations. The title track Floating flows gracefully along, providing harmonic surprises at every turn where Fred resolves his chord sequences in unexpected ways. The Trio work well together, interplaying with worthwhile contributions from bass and drums. West Virginia Rose, the first of six pieces all dedicated to various people, is a through-composed song inspired by Hersch’s mother and grandmother – with words by our own Norma Winstone  who has provided lyrics for several of Fred’s songs in other contexts. Home Fries dedicated to bassist Hebert  has a rolling Crescent City “good-time” feel.
Far Away is for Shamrit Shoshan - McPherson’s wife - who shockingly died in 2012 at the age of 29. This reflective piece is deeply felt – again with unexpected harmonic twists and turns, each one taking the listener unawares. Arcata, dedicated to Esperanza Spalding, has a restless, driving quality with a “catchy” melody and sprightly improvising from Hersch. A Speech To The Sea  dedicated to Finnish artist Maaria Wirkkala,  gently evolves as an impressionistic piece ebbing and flowing in a graceful style with a standout melodic solo from the bassist.
Autumn Haze for fellow-pianist  Kevin Hays has effective trio interplay throughout ( as in Evans/LaFaro/Motian). Strong minor harmonies in a descending pattern characterize this song. The penultimate track   If Ever I Would Leave You is performed as a ballad contrasting sharply with Rollins’ well-known up-tempo version. It’s played in the style of the Keith Jarrett “Standards” Trio with much filigree decoration from the piano, root-seeking basslines and tasteful drumming. A standout track! Finally, Monk’s Lets Cool One  taken at a jaunty tempo, is thoroughly examined by the Trio with humour, invention and vigour.
Overall, a very enjoyable CD by a major jazz artist whose career continues to evolve in imaginative settings. Available on PALMETTO from July 8..
Dave B.

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