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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

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

Sunday, September 27, 2015

CD Review: Matthew Halsall & the Gondwana Orchestra – Into Forever

(Review by Russell)
Trumpeter Matthew Halsall set up his own record label as a means of getting his music heard and with any luck to attract interest from established major companies. That was seven or eight years ago. He has gone on to release five critically acclaimed albums, all on Gondwana Records. Into Forever is Halsall’s latest CD featuring several of his long term collaborators and two new, most welcome, voices.
Buddhism and transcendental meditation are key elements in Matthew Halsall’s life and music. He has travelled widely, visiting and studying in the Far East. His music extends beyond any notional jazz boundaries embracing non-Western forms. Into Forever is the first of Halsall’s albums to feature vocals. Working with lyricists/vocalists has been one of his ambitions and in being introduced to the work of Josephine Oniyama, trumpeter/ composer/ arranger/ label boss Halsall knew the time was right to embark on this project.
Eleven tracks, on which the leader’s trumpet is heard on two tracks only, Into Forever is beautifully recorded; bassist Gavin Barras underpins much of the music, unobtrusive yet anchoring the ensemble, and the Cinematic Orchestra’s drummer Luke Flowers finds the right sound working alongside the album’s string section. Barras’ bass leads off many of the tunes with Flowers right there. As I Walk, one of several numbers featuring Oniyama, includes the lyric: …a world of tranquility. This, perhaps, exemplifies the ethos and vibe. Halsall’s vision isn’t about the grandstanding soloist backed by a rhythm section. All of the tracks coalesce, presenting a broader canvas; contemplation, conversation, stillness. Oniyama’s intoned vocals on Badder Weather suggest a soul voice (of which we should hear more) as pianist Taz Modi takes a solo. The string section – viola and violin, cello, harp and koto – isn’t a bolt-on addition, it is integral to the album’s sound. The title track – Into Forever – is the first of two on which Halsall is heard playing trumpet as a member of the ensemble. The collective triumphs over the individual ego on this new CD. It will be released later this week – Friday October 2 – and Halsall and his accomplished troupe have a number of gigs lined-up starting on October 1 at the Capstone Theatre, Liverpool, on home-town turf at St Peter’s Church, Manchester (23) and a London show at Union Chapel (29) with other dates in between.
Russell
Into Forever  by Matthew Halsall & the GondwanaOrchestra (Gondwana Records CD013) is released on October 1. It will also be available on vinyl and as a download.                       
Matthew Halsall (trumpet), Lisa Mallett (flute), Rachael Gladwin (harp), Keiko Kitamura (koto), Taz Modi (piano), Gavin Barras (double bass), Luke Flowers (drums), Sam Bell (percussion), Chris Cruiks (percussion), Margit Van Der Zwan (cello), Natalie Purton (viola & violin), John Purton (violin), Jote Osahn (violin), Ollie Izod (violin), Josephine Oniyama (vocals) & Bryony Jarman-Pinto (vocals)

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