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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

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

Thursday, February 26, 2015

CD Review: Carsten Dahl - Bach Goldberg Variations

Carsten Dahl (prepared piano).
(Review by Lance).
"What?" I hear you ask, "Is a 'prepared piano'?). To quote from the blurb:“Bach Goldberg Variations“ was recorded on a prepared piano, giving it its unique sound. Carsten Dahl placed snare wires on the piano wires to create a distorted sound that’s like a cross between a harpsichord, a sitar, a classical piano, an upright piano, a guitar and a banjo.
Carsten also has this to say: “The reason I flung myself into Bach’s work is partly because it’s the ultimate test of “manhood” for a pianist and partly because I wanted to bring out a side of Bach that you don’t often hear. In my opinion, Bach isn’t music for the posh, it’s music for the masses. So my interpretation grates on the ear and stinks of smelly feet when you hear it. I pull Bach down to the people, rather than letting him waft about on some highbrow cloud."
The album, which was Denmark's top selling classical album of 2014 also charted in the top 30 pop albums.
What do I think? An interesting experiment, although personally I'd sooner hear it played on a piano that didn't have snare wires across the strings!
Dahl is a fine pianist both classical and jazz although there's none of the latter genre here unless you class the snare wires as a form of improvisation.
The album is available on vinyl for a fiver or on CD for 3GBP from your nearest Tiger store which where I live is probably Edinburgh or the Faroe Islands it can also be downloaded from www.tiger-music.com/carstendahl.com.
Lance.

5 comments :

Patti D. said...

Hmmm - as you say Lance, an interesting experiment ..... Bach's music is so often interpreted in different styles. I can remember liking the Jacques Loussier Play Bach albums when I was an impressionable 15 year old .....

Lance said...

Yes Patti, I almost started smoking cigars after Loussier's version of Air on a G String was used in the Hamlet advert!

Anonymous said...

Well, Carsten Dahls version of Goldberg is a fake! He simply picked up the midi files from Open Goldberg - and he never would be able to survive playing even one of the variations...check the michinegun thrills...actually one of the biggest not yet discovered classical music recording scandals i modern time!

Lance said...

I wish you'd been more open rather than using the anonymous button. More credibility with a name. If you care to email me privately, and confidentially, I'd be interested to hear from you.

Anonymous said...

Here is Carsten Dahl. That is some acusement Mr. Anonymous pukes on the floor. I actually recorded them normally on a straight Hindsberg grandpiano before doing the prepared one. I DID NOT use open Goldberg but used to technical options. One is recording the voices in layers - another was moving the tempo here and there. Its today possible to use the studio advanteges since we live in new modern times. I could send you the piano version if you like. Since I was a drummer before playing the piano - I am very stricked and precise with the thrills and maybe my savant autism also plays a part in the Interpretation. Since you are an anonymous chicken - its not possible to answer you with more depth. You can e mail me : carstendahlmusic@gmail.com. Carsten.

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