Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

October. Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Murray Oak, Paul Grainger, John Bradford.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. First night of two.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

CD Review: Solitary Moon - Ginger Berglund & Scott Whitfield Sing the Johnny Mandel Songbook

(Review by Lance.).
Remember Jackie & Roy - Jackie Cain & Roy Kral - who provided the bop vocals in Charlie Ventura's Bop For The People band and who, later on, recorded many albums under their own name? Of course you do and so do I. They were a class act.
Well, in the form of Ginger Berglund and Scott Whitfield, they ride again and in good company (see list of featured soloists below). Add the music of Johnny Mandel, lyrics by such as Dave Frishberg and Alan and Marilyn Bergman and arrangements by Whitfield, who also cooks up some tasty trombone solos, and you have the recipe for a very satisfying album. 
An album of great songs that haven't been done to death - in fact many of them I was hearing for the first time. Admittedly The Shadow of Your Smile doesn't come into the first timers' list except maybe it does as I can't previously recall hearing the verse. 
Solitary Moon will be on the car stereo tomorrow so be warned. If you see a black Chevrolet being driven erratically it will be because I'm tapping my feet on the pedals in time to the music.
Solitary Moon - Ginger Berglund & Scott Whitfield Sing the Johnny Mandel Songbook is available now on Bi-Coastal Music.
Check out sound samples here.
Lance.
Ginger Berglund (voice), Scott Whitfield (voice/tmb/arr); Featuring Steve Huffsteter (tpt);, Pete Christlieb (ten); Airto Moreira (perc); Roger Neumann (ten/bar/bs clt); Corey Allen (pno);  Don Shelton, Ken Peplowski (clts); Jennifer Leitham (bs); Jack Petersen (dms); Carl Saunders (tpt); Kendall Kay (dms); Anne King (tpt); Rusty Higgins (alt/fl), The Modernaires, and LAVA (vcls).

No comments :

Blog Archive