Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Friday, September 25, 2015

CD Review: Tim Thornton - The Feel Good Place

Tim Thornton (bs); James Gardiner-Bateman (alt); Grant Windsor (pno); Chris Draper (dms).
(Review by Lance)
Simply superb! I could end the review with those two words without feeling I'd short-changed anyone. However, whilst that description may do for me, my loyal readers deserve more -  yes all three of you - so here we go.
Sweet Chin Music is a delightful theme that brings to mind the feel, in an abstract sort of way, of the classic Giuffre album The Train and the River. It has a similar mood - sort of floating - whilst actually sounding nothing like it! Thornton's bass moves around, keeping everything together. JGB plays alto with a fluidity that allows the ideas to flow. Windsor's piano, on the money every time, and the drumwork at the end, the perfect climax.
The only non-original, The Beatles Here There and Everywhere, which just happens to be my favourite - possibly my only favourite - Beatles tune is a biggie for all. I'm not sure which chord sequence it is based upon - did the Fab Four create original seqs? Certainly this one is more complex than say, All My Loving or She Loves You etc. - a timeless melody worthy of any of the Gasbook guys. 
Newborn, a mid-tempo groove, has me thinking that Thornton's extended solo is just about as good as it gets. JGB's alto ticks so many boxes I had to create new ones for him to tick! Then Windsor came in - no wonder they named a town after him - and I ran out of ticking boxes.
More originals - The Feel Good Place; Dribbling; Corona; Wicked Rickety - each and everyone as good as, or better, than the one preceding!
This is a swinger - Swing 2015+.
Best new British album I've heard so far this year - the truth always wins!
The album is released by Jellymould on Oct. 2 and launched at Pizza two days later. They tour in March - mainly, no totally, south of Dean Street!
Lance.
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