Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise 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

18897 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 11.) 40.

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

September.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).

Fri 18: Danny Lownes’ Hot Club @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Mark Williams Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00., £5.00. student.
Fri 18: Rivkala + Beccy Sloan @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.
Sat 19: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner: Nina Simone. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 19: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

CD Review: Tiffany Austin - Nothing But Soul

Tiffany Austin (vcl); Howard Wiley (ten/vcl); Glen Pearson (pno); Ron Belcher (bs); Sly Randolph (dms).
(Review by Lance.)
There are some tunes that make you cringe upon hearing. Not that there's anything wrong with the songs. Summertime is one of the greatest songs ever written but my well documented aversion to the song is not directed at George Gershwin but at the thousands of wannabees  who wouldn't dream of stepping on stage without the feeling that, if  Cry Me a River doesn't get them, then Summertime will!
Familiarity, contempt etc.
Stardust (like the pale moon) is another that no longer excites me, as with Summertime, the definitive versions have been set in stone, or rather vinyl. 
Or so I thought!
Enter Tiffany Austin.
On this, her debut album, she has given a completely new take to Hoagy's classic song. Even the verse is given a new, rhythmic, lease of life. And this is but track one! What follows are more Carmichael gems. Songs either composed by the great man or associated with him. I'm not quite sure how Johnny Cash's I Walk The Line fits in (seemingly Hoagy  cut a 45rpm in '56), but they are all belters with a band that rocks and rolls and swings like the proverbial! Wiley in particular blows up a storm.
This is a difficult disc to review - I mean how can you type when you're dancing around the room?!
Ah, Georgia on my Mind cools things and allows me to to jump down from the ceiling and get back to the keyboard.
Baltimore Oriole; I Get Along Without You Very Well; I May Be Wrong (sung by Hoagy but not one of his comps); Skylark; Sing me a Swing Song are some of the others.
Tiffany Austin is the most exciting singer I've heard since first hearing Cecile McLorin Salvant  at Mike Durham's Classic Jazz Party/Festival although, up here in Newcastle, Alice Grace isn't far behind.
There may be better vocal discs this year but there won't be many and certainly not a better first timer!
YouTube.
Released October 16. Con Alma Music CAM 001.
Lance

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