Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Charlie Parker was my introduction to the religion of music. And so he's always with me .'' - Downbeat November 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

17950 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 914 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Nov. 7).

From This Moment On ...

November

Fri 14: Dan Johnson Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 14: Giles Strong Quartet @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
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: Brian Jackson @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £32.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 14: Guisborough Big Band @ Saltburn Golf Club. 7:30pm. £12.00 (inc. pie & peas). SOLD OUT!

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00-9:30pm.
Sat 15: Les Frères Frangipane @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 8:00pm (doors 7:30pm). £10.00. ‘Chanson Française’. Fundraiser for Jesmond Community Orchard & Jesmond Library.

Sun 16: Jo Harrop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Duo performance.
Sun 16: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. ‘Jazz Sunday’ with special guest PETE TANTON.
Sun 16: Lorne Lofsky-Nigel Price Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Lofsky (guitar); Price (guitar); Jeremy Brown (double bass); Joel Barford (drums).
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: Lorne Lofsky-Nigel Price Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Lofsky (guitar); Price (guitar); Jeremy Brown (double bass); Joel Barford (drums).

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 17: Finn-Keeble Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £6.50.

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, January 17, 2015

CD Review: Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble - The Whistle Blower

Gilad Atzmon (alt/sop/clt/acc/gtr/vcl); Frank Harrison (pno/keys/vcl); Yaron Stavi (bs/vcl); Chris Higginbottom (dms/vcl); + Tali Atzmon, Antonio Feola (voice).
(Review by Lance).
It's not for me to comment on anything other than the music - not even the title! Gilad's political views have long caused controversy but - freedom of speech, Je suis,  and freedom in music too. Gilad represents freedom in music without losing qualities that are music. The Whistle Blower is an emotional release that contains excitement alongside the most romantic saxophone playing I've ever heard in contemporary (ish) jazz. Maybe if Hodges or Webster had been born on the day they died they could have found in Gilad a soulmate.

His portrait of Moana Pozzi (Italian 'Adult' actress who died aged 33) is beautifully painted in sound on the track For Moana. Gilad goes further and writes in the notes:
I am old fashioned
A reactionary existentialist
The enemy of progress
A Kantian rebel in your midst.
-
But I love Moana Pozzi
My vintage romantic heroine
When she passes by
I stare...
She glances at me and beams gently.
-
I am old fashioned
An honorary knight of The Romantic Church
I am the Iman of retro
And I am happy
It's an impossible disc to describe fully. There is so much happening - sadness, love, explorative excursions, beauty - put beauty top of the list - and the quirkiness we've come to expect from the Orient House Ensemble is in there too and I wouldn't have it anywhere else. Sadly it is everywhere else! The band's tour runs from January to April 30 and they are everywhere else - apart from the north east that is!
Seems to me I'm ending a lot of reviews like this lately...
Samples inc. For Moana.
Lance
Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble - The Whistle Blower is available now - check out Samples Link.

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