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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. CANCELLED! 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

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 23, 2015

CD Review: Vicky Tilson Quartet – Mojo Risin'


Vicky Tilson – double bass; Dee Byrne - alto sax; Stuart Fiddler – guitar; Reinis Axelsson - drums
(Review by Hugh C).
Vicky Tilson, a graduate of the Guildhall post-grad jazz course, formed her first quartet in 2009 and released an album, Picture from Jitske, in the same year.  Tales from a Forgotten City followed in 2010. 
Mojo Risin’, recorded at the Cable Street Records studios in East London where Reinis Axelsson worked as a sound engineer, enabled Tilson to record in analogue and “give the album a certain warmth that digital does not”.
The album features three re-recorded stand out tunes from the quartet's first two albums, together with six new pieces exploring themes of depression, determination, immortality and patience.
A total of just over 58 minutes. 
Inspiration came from the words of Jim Morrison in The Doors song LA Woman -Mr Mojo Risin’ ”.  Tilson considers mojo risin’ to embody “everything that is good about a person on the rise; improving, developing into something spectacular like a phoenix rising from the ashes”.  She felt that was how her life was going as she composed the album, having recently been through her own personal annus horribilis.
Only the Brave starts with a rhythmic groove by the bass 'n drums soon joined by Byrne on alto and Fiddler on guitar.  The track has a funky feel with short solo passages from each.  Black Dog takes the mood down (literally) soon to morph into a kaleidoscopic whorl of sound from Byrne's alto, to be followed by steady state in four, with some nice solo work from Fiddler's guitar.  Better Late Than Never has a more uplifting feel with clever interplay between alto and guitar over a driving tempo set by the rhythm section.  Funk is back with Boho Chic featuring nifty guitar work by Stuart Fiddler over Axelsson's drums.  Headlovin' continues in the upbeat tempo with stratospheric squeals from Byrne's alto interspersed with finger pickin' good guitar work by Fiddler. 
The Eternal Ending isn't - there's still three more tracks to go!  This features a beautiful melodic line by Byrne on alto sax.  There’s no let-up in the rhythm though.  As one might expect when the band leader is a bassist there is extensive bass solo work! 
The pleasant thing to this reviewer is how the solos are seamlessly integrated into the musical narrative.  Pas du Tout has a more reflective feel than the preceding tracks allowing for a more spread out appreciation of each instrumentalist’s contribution to the whole.  The Crunch and The Kicker take us out with an almost drum 'n bass feel to the latter.
This is a crackling listen – buy it! – available March 23 on the F-IRE label.  Catalogue number F-IRECD79.   The Quartet have gigs coming up in the South and in Northern Ireland.  These guys would sound great in the some of the more intimate venues here in the North East – programmers take note!
Hugh C.

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