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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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, September 30, 2015

CD Review: Carter Calvert – It’s a Man’s World.

(Review by Minnie F)
 American vocalist Calvert sings songs made famous by male artists on this album “re-imagined and sung from a woman’s point of view”.  Although this may sound like a bit of a gimmick, it is successful due to the power of Calvert’s rich vocals and arrangements by Laurence Hobgood and Joshua Bowlus.  Tracks include songs originally sung by artists as diverse as Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, The Police and The Beatles.  Carter’s voice is strong and melodic, but some may think it would lend itself more to pop than jazz.  
However, the great strength of this album is the accompaniment; Calvert has surrounded herself with some really excellent musicians.  Joel Frahm’s brilliant sax playing and Marco Panascia’s bass on It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World originally by James Brown are well worth the listen.  Other up-beat songs include Elton John’s Take me to the Pilot and Ray Charles’ Hallelujah, I love him so which are made by the excellent David Rosenthal’s guitar, Ben Williams bass and Ulysses Owens’ drumming.  These are just examples of the quality of musicianship on the album where Calvert is accompanied by two different bands, both equally impressive.
A number of these songs are considerably different to their original versions, and the difference is much more than just the gender of the singer.  The second track, John Lee Hooker’s I’m in the Mood is probably the best for those wanting to hear some real jazz treatment with Williams’ catchy bass and Rosenthal’s prodigious guitar joined by an accomplished horn section consisting of Daniel Dickinson on alto sax, the aptly named Alphonso Horne on trumpet and Eric Miller on trombone. The final track is Let it Be which starts off almost unaccompanied, with only sparse playing from Hobgood’s piano, but the accompaniment builds up gradually towards the ultimate reward of a soaring sax solo from Frahm.
It is a diverse range of songs and styles such as blues, motown and pop, which are given the jazz treatment by virtue of the arrangement and accompaniment.  While some are more successful than others, over all this is a good, enjoyable album which is well produced with excellent musicianship.
Minnie.
Carter Calvert - voice; Joshua Bowlus – piano/Arrangements; Ben Williams – bass; Ulysses Owens Jr. – Drums; Daniel Dickinson - Alto Sax; Alphonso Horne – Trumpet; Eric Miller – Trombone; David Rosenthal – Guitar.
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Carter Calvert - voice; Joel Frahm - Tenor & Soprano Sax; Laurence Hobgood – Piano/Arrangements; Marco Panascia – Bass; Ulysses Owens Jr. – Drums + Damon Mack - B3 Hammond Organ (On Let It Be.)
More info.

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