Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

October.

Tue 06: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Paul Grainger (double bass).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Murray Oak, Paul Grainger, John Bradford.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. First night of two.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Monday, June 01, 2015

CD Review: Beats and Pieces Big Band - All In

(Review by Russell)
Alright! exclaims Ben Cottrell. The Beats and Pieces Big Band explodes into action from the downbeat. Seven tracks, massive energy, no messing around. The first cut rocky (it is all lower case as far as the song titles go) hits the listener straight between the eyes (ears) – you will listen! A glorious noise; full on, hip, knowingly retro kitsch, these Manchester-schooled musicians know how to entertain.
Director Ben Cottrell is a dance floor demon, never still, conducting (encouraging a band of thirteen friends), clapping, dancing, stamping. And what a band! Quincy Jones’ 1980s pop world success, Radiohead, Loose Tubes’ irreverence, conventional big band sections - all deconstructed and lovingly reassembled as Beats and Pieces’ signature sound.
 A raft of soloists step up; Nick Walters (trumpet) on pop, Patrick Hurley’s Fender Rhodes (rain) and on hendo the brilliant takes-no-prisoners Sam Healey (soprano saxophone). The other side of Beats and Pieces (there is more than one dimension to the band) is in evidence on the final track. fairytale is a straight reading (if there is such  a thing) and a feature for the sensitive trumpet playing of Graham South.
The one cover on All In is David Bowie’s Let’s Dance, a ‘jazz’ cover (not one for Bowie diehards?) intent on disguise. Languid, loose, tight – in performance audiences are asked to ‘name that tune’. The band can turn its hand to anything such is the musicianship. The lynchpin is drummer Finlay Panter (a big band drummer for the twenty first century), the sections respond to Cottrell’s promptings and the soloists are top drawer.
All In is the band’s second album on Efpi. It is good as the first (Big Ideas from 2012). A third CD would be nice and a ‘live’ recording would capture something of the band’s all- consuming, visceral performance. All In by Beats and Pieces Big Band (Efpi FP022) is released on Monday 8 June. Two gigs follow in July at the Soup Kitchen, Manchester on Tuesday 7th and at Ronnie Scott’s, London on July 8th.
Beats and Pieces Big Band: Ben Cottrell (director), Anthony Brown, Sam Healey, Ben Watte (saxophones), Owen Bryce, Graham South, Nick Walters (trumpets), Ed Horsey, Simon Lodge, Rich McVeigh (trombones), Anton Hunter (guitar), Patrick Hurley (piano & Fender Rhodes), Harrison Wood (bass) & Finlay Panter (drums)
Highly recommended.     
Russell.  
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