Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise 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

18918 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 782 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 18.) 61.

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

September.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Tue 22: ???

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ 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: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A John Coltrane Centenary Concert (b. 23. 09. 1926). SOLD OUT!
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 24: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 24: Arun Ghosh @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £21.05. (£22.00. on the door). A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 24: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 25: Mark Williams Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Get the Blessing + Dilettante @ The Cluny (Cluny 2), Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00. + bf. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 25: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 26: Adam Fairhall & Johnny Hunter: Play Mary Lou Williams @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 26: John Pope Quintet + Urvashi @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.40. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

CD Review: Andy Sheppard Quartet – Surrounded by Sea

Andy Sheppard – tenor and soprano saxophones; Eivind Aarset – guitar, electronics; Michel Benita – double bass; Sebastian Rochford – drums.
(Review by Hugh)
This is Andy Sheppard's third album released on ECM.  The quartet is formed by the addition of Norwegian guitarist Eivind Aarset to the personnel comprising Trio Libero - whose output is encapsulated on the previous ECM release by Sheppard, which takes the name of the trio as its title.  The trio started out as an improvising trio, but in the new quartet format Sheppard wanted to “move things in a new direction with the addition of harmony and subtle grooves”.
The current album title “Surrounded by Sea” evokes some of the unique characteristics of those who inhabit an island nation.  According to Sheppard, the sea in this case is mostly calm, but squalls and storms can arise in a moment.
On this album the lyrical saxophone playing of Andy Sheppard floats gently on a raft of sound structurally underpinned by Seb Rochford's subtle drumming mixed with Michel Benita's sensitive bass playing and Eivind Aarset's layered guitar and electronics.
The album has eleven tracks in all.  These are arranged as eight separate tracks interspersed by the three separate parts of Aoidh, Na Dean Cadal Idir.  This piece is named after a Gaelic traditional song and translates as Aoidh, Don't Sleep At All. Sheppard learned the song from Hebridean folk singer Julie Fowlis and the instrumental music was written by all four quartet members to dress her a capella vocal rendition of the song.
The majority of the rest of the material is of Sheppard's composition, sometimes in conjunction with another member of the quartet.  The second track, I Want to Vanish is an Elvis Costello composition and Rochford and Benita have contributed one track each.  It is difficult to single out any particular track for comment as the album has a definite flow from one end to the other.  The overall atmosphere is calm with the minimum of swell now and then.  The squalls and storms remain over the horizon throughout. 
The signature saxophone style of Andy Sheppard is evident across all the tracks and is beautifully blended with the contributions of the other three quartet members.  This is a class act and unhesitatingly recommended by this reviewer!
Hugh.
Surrounded by Sea was released by ECM in the UK on April 13 (catalogue number 471 4273)







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