Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Thu 13: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 13: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 27.
Thu 13: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

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: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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).

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