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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Linskill Centre, North Shields. 4:00-10:30pm. Free, but ticketed (over 18s only). A multi-bill, multi-genre ‘Canny Shiels - North Shields 800’ event. Three Kings Brewery on site.
Sat 28: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 29: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 29: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 3:00pm. Ray McVay & co.
Sun 29: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 29: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 29: Zoë Gilby w. Ryton Choral Society @ Corbridge Middle School NE45 5HX. 5:30pm. £15.00. Gilby w jazz trio & choir. ‘An evening of jazz song for choir’.
Sun 29: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 29: John Wilson & the Sinfonia of London @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Greatest Hits’.
Sun 29: Out Front @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

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

Saturday, October 25, 2014

CD Review: No Fast Food – In Concert

Phil Haynes (drums), David Liebman (tenor & soprano saxophones, flute) & Drew Gress (double bass).
(Review by Russell).
In a long career drummer Phil Haynes has worked with many of the leading lights in contemporary jazz including Anthony Braxton, Don Byron and Paul Smoker. He has recently released a recording of his trio No Fast Food featuring Dave Liebman (reeds) and Drew Gress (double bass) captured in stunning form on location in Rochester, NY State and Milheim, Pennsylvania.
The CD In Concert documents the trio’s engagements during the summer of 2012. The compositions (thirteen across two discs) are by Haynes, as is the exemplary production. The bandleader refers to the ‘individual clarity’ and ‘equality of ensemble counterpoint’ achieved in the trio format and it is the participation of Liebman and Gress that ensures the music is of the highest quality. The trio format leaves no hiding place and none hide. Gress leads on the opening Dawn on the Gladys Marie, Haynes and Liebman waiting in the wings. Throughout the recording the musicians listen, converse, empathise and, from time to time, engage in volcanic argument finally agreeing a resolution.
The robust West Virginian Blues hears Liebman on tenor and on Together (No Fast Food defined) he switches to soprano with equal facility. On ZenLieb (the opening track of the second disc) Liebman plays a wooden flute. The title says it all and the audience response is one of appreciation of his mastery. From Zen Lieb to agitated Lieb as Liebman burns it up on tenor on Out of the Bowels. More of the same (gloriously so) on Workin’ It a none-stop, vigourous, swinging blow-out.                                          
Blues for Israel focuses on Liebman’s plaintive soprano saxophone (political perspective unspoken) followed by a brief Incantation. Taut group interplay is maintained throughout nine minutes plus on Chant, scarcely rising above a whisper, revealing Gress’ mastery of acoustic double bass playing. Encore du jour (from the Elk Creek Café & Ale Works, PA session) encapsulates all that is best about the CD and is an apposite ‘encore’. A word about the recording; Jon Rosenberg recorded, edited, mixed and mastered the CDs and in so doing captured the essence of the ‘live’ gig without compromising on quality of sound.    
In Concert by No Fast Food is available on CornerStoreJazz (CSJ 0107-0108). 
Russell.                

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