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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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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

Monday, March 09, 2015

CD Review: Eberhard Weber – Encore

Eberhard Weber (electric double bass; keyboards); Ack von Rooyen  (flugelhorn)
(Review by Hugh).
Eberhard Weber played electric bass in the Jan Garberek Group in the 1990s and most of the noughties.  For this album, which is a follow on to his 2012 album Résumé, Weber has isolated the bass solos from recordings made at a host of European venues, each of which provides the track title on the CD:  Frankfurt, Konstanz, Cambridge, Rankwell, Langenhagen, Granada, Sevilla, London, Klagenfurt, Bradford, Edinburgh, Hannover, Pamplona. 
Weber has meticulously edited, rearranged and modified the solos with additional keyboard parts which he plays himself.  He is joined on flugelhorn by his old friend, the Dutchman Ack van Rooyen who appeared on Weber's first album Colours of Chloe, 42 years ago.
The original solos were six to ten minutes long and provided transitions between two large blocks of sound in the original concerts.  Weber (now 75) is no longer able to play bass due to a stroke in 2007 and added the keyboard sounds using his one good hand.
The thirteen tracks on this album vary between 2:47 and 4:30.  The album will probably appeal to bass enthusiasts, although Weber played neither double bass nor electric bass, but a “Spezialbass” that was developed by Weber in conjunction with a violin maker.  This was essentially a double bass, but without a sound box.
The result is a melodic continuum and it is difficult to separate the tracks one from another without actually looking at the CD player display.  It is certainly a pleasant sound, particularly with the fine flugelhorn playing of Ack van Rooyen.  Does the CD provide a major new addition to the jazz canon? – well probably not.  This does not detract from the impact that Weber has had on European jazz.  This was celebrated in two concerts in Stuttgart, Weber's home town, on the occasion of his 75th birthday which boasted a stellar line-up including Jan Garbarek, Gary Burton and Pat Metheny and were, by all accounts a night to remember.
The CD was released in the UK on 23 February by ECM (Catalogue Number 4712051.)
Hugh.

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