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

18982 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 846 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 8.) 25.

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.

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.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 4:45pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: NW FRQNC @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. Selina Albright, Gianni Vancini.
Wed 14: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 15: Leah Kirk: A Strange Affair @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Leah Kirk (vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 15: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. PJO w. guest Graham Hardy (trumpet).

Thursday, December 04, 2014

CD Review: Darrell Katz and the Jazz Composers Alliance Orchestra – Why Do You Ride?

(Review by Russell).
A press release accompanying Why Do You Ride? proclaims:
‘Darrell Katz and the Jazz Composers Alliance Orchestra play music about Albert Einstein, the Zen of riding bicycles, and a six-toed cat.’
The CD cover art features a sepia-tinted photograph of Einstein riding a bicycle. Question: Will listening to this recording make your brain hurt?
The opening bars threaten cinematic horror. Fears quickly dissipate as Ellingtonian muted horns growl reassuringly, then just as quickly a menacing flute asserts, finally ceding to a  swinging (sixties tv theme) tune swirling around Rebecca Shrimpton’s soaring vocals. An accomplished raft of soloists step up; Phil Scarff (tenor), Hiroaki Honshuku (flute, EWI), Joe Doubleday (vibraphone), Mike Peipman (trumpet), Dan Zupan (baritone), bandleader Darrell Katz (guitar), all marshalled  by the superb big band drumming of Luther Gray.
So, who are these guys? Think Boston, Mass. Think Berklee. The band has a three-decades pedigree of writing and performing challenging, hugely entertaining charts. The premise for this recording is flawed. Darrell Katz concedes his love of bicycles and a lazy approach to research (all things Google) resulted in his compositions being inspired by largely inaccurate (and in some cases wholly non-attributable) quotes attributable to   Einstein. No matter, the music is fantastic! From Ellington to Carla Bley to Loose Tubes’ irreverence. The orchestra is a band of soloists. On Sticks and Stones David Harris’ solo gives Gary Valente a run for his money (Shrimpton intoning Sticks and Stones is utterly commanding), The Mysterious is torn to shreds by Jim Hobbs’ lacerating alto, the entire album is peppered by outstanding soloists, as are the sections. The ensemble is a treat to listen to. A UK concert appearance seems unlikely. Boston, here I come.                        
(Russell).
Jazz Composers Alliance Orchestra: Rebecca Shrimpton (voice), Hiroaki Honshuku (flute, EWI), Allan Chase (alto saxophone), Jim Hobbs (alto saxophone), Phil Scarff (tenor, soprano & sopranino saxophones & clarinet), Dan Zupan (baritone saxophone & bass clarinet), Mike Peipman (trumpet), Gary Bohan (trumpet), Forbes Graham (trumpet), Bob Pilkington (trombone), David Harris (trombone), Jim Mosher (French horn), Bill Lowe (tuba), Luther Gray (drums), Norm Zocher (guitar), John Funkhouser (bass), Joe Doubleday (vibraphone), Mina Cho (piano), Ryan Edwards (percussion) & Darrell Katz (guitar.)
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JCA Sax Quartet: Jeff Hudgkins (alto saxophone), Daniel Ian Smith (alto saxophone), Phil Scarff (tenor saxophone) & Dan Bosshardt (baritone saxophone).
The JCAO is preparing to celebrate the band’s thirtieth birthday. This new CD (out now) is a present to the band, and to you, the listener. Darrell Katz and the JCA Orchestra – Why Do You Ride? is available on Leo Records CD LR 711. Recommended.  
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