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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
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: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Wednesday, May 06, 2015

CD Review: Partikel – String Theory

Duncan Eagles – saxophones; Max Luthert – bass; Eric Ford – drums - with Benet McLean, David LePage – violin; Carmen Flores – viola and Matthew Sharp – cello.
(Review by Hugh)
It is often said that one should not judge a book by its cover – well, in this case a reviewer should not judge a CD by its first 10 seconds!  The first track on String Theory  - Clash of the Clans (Part 1) commences with a burst of scraping horse hair on steel.  This soon gives way to more conventional jazz music with a definite groove. 

Partikel are a London – based trio who have been making a name for themselves on the European scene for the last few years.  String Theory is their third release and differs from the previous two releases, which were the product of preparatory rehearsing and fine tuning of arrangements before recording.  In the words of Duncan Eagles “with this album [String Theory] the charts I wrote for the trio were purposefully more open and melodic than previous material and the arrangements were developed through touring with the band – rather than all the rehearsing – which I think gives the trio performance on this album a more natural and spontaneous dynamic”.
This comes through on the recording.  The first track is one of three parts, followed by Part 2 Seeking Shadows and Part 3 Midnight Mass. 
Eagles wanted the string quartet to be as involved as possible and for the two ensembles to interact and improvise together.  This is borne out in Shimmer, where the two ensembles appear to chase each other.  Introduction to the Buffalo (naturally) precedes The Buffalo – the former is performed  purely by the string quartet, seguing effortlessly into  
the latter where the two ensembles rejoin.  Eric Ford's Tabla adds an exotic feel to this track and several others and strings have an almost gypsy quality at times.  Next we are back on jazz mainstreet with Bartering for Bob.  Shimmering strings introduce The River, with Eagles' soprano soaring over the surface, hovering for a while and then following the flow.  We end up on Wray Common (no, I don't know either – local connection, I presume!).  Matthew Sharp's cello introduces Body and Soul (by Johnny Green) – this is the only track (other than Introduction to the Buffalo) which is not composed by Duncan Eagles.  Cover ups the tempo again with the trio powered along by Ford's driving percussion.  The quartet get a rest on this track.  The opening of The Landing is evocative of the wider  universe (perhaps something to do with the album title?) and the track has a filmic quality with definite plot progression, the listener will make up their own mind as to where it's going.

Partikel's String Theory will be released by Whirlwind Records (catalogue WR4671) on 11 May 2015.  The band are touring from 28th May with an album launch at Pizza Express on 2 June.  None of the dates listed on the information sheet with the album are north of Bungay as far as I can see.  I guess we will have to wait and see if the band pluck up courage and venture over the border!
Hugh.

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