Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 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

19,105 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 969 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Nov. 14) 39.

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

November

Sun 15: Lianne Carroll: Jazz Vocal Weekend Workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 9:30am-5:00pm. Day 2/2. SOLD OUT!
Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ The Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe. 7:00pm. £48.18 (to include dinner); £17.43 (concert only).
Sun 15: Sarah Gillespie & Chris Montague @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sun 15: Liane Carroll @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Solo performance. SOLD OUT!

Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Jacob Egglestone, Paul Grainger, Joe Deans.
Tue 17: Grammy Season (Laubrock/Seabrook/Lovato/Rainey) @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm. JNE.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 19: Papa G’s Troves @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 19: Marina Josephina @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £10.60; £10.60.; £8.50 Early Bird.

Fri 20: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: The Music of Duke Ellington @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Customs House Big Band @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.

Sat 21: Pete Tanton Duo @ Awesome Frank’s, West Jesmond Metro Station, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.00.
Sat 21: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Westovian Theatre, South Shields. 7:30pm. £18.00.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

CD Review: Kevin Bachelder/Jason Lee Bruns - Cherry Avenue

Kevin Bachelder (vcl/tpt); Ron Blake (tpt/flug); Jacques Voyemant (tmb); Kim Richmond (sop/alt/clt); Brandon Fields (ten); Daniel Szabo (pno); Angelo Metz (gtr); Edwin Livingstone (bs); Jason Lee Bruns (dms/leader).
(Review by Lance).
With so many albums winging their way across the pond it can be easy to overlook a gem or two, particular when, in many cases, the band/artist are not familiar names in the old world. Cherry Avenue is a case in point. 
Bachelder (b. 1972).  Active Stateside for the past 25 years, involved in projects with major artists as diverse as Wayne Shorter and David Bowie but yet to be caught on this writer's radar.
Bruns (b 1979), jazz drummer, Latin percussionist, arranger, producer and bandleader does have a tenuous UK connection - in 2011 he played drums with Liane Carroll at L.A.'s Catalina Jazz Club.
Bruns' drumming and tight arrangements provide the perfect setting for Bachelder's vocals. After Sinatra, and later Chet Baker, put their brand on I Fall in Love Too Easily it took a brave man to follow but,  Bachelder is nothing if not brave - he doesn't lose face.
Other tracks: My Romance; Autumn Leaves - some acceptable scatting to relieve the ennui of hearing 'The Dead Leaves' song once too often - Waters of March; Dear Prudence; a delightful version of Send in the Clowns; an equally appealing Like Someone in Love; It Didn't Workout That Way; Ain't No Sunshine and a kickass finale title track Cherry Avenue.
Excellent trumpet from Blake, trombone from Voyemant, clarinet by Richmond, tenor by Fields and, of course, driving drums by the co-leader.
Available now on the Panout Label from the usual suspects. 
Lance.

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