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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:15pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall, Stocksfield. 1:30pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm.
Sat 24: Dean Stockdale Quartet + Mingus Sings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums) + Mingus Sings: Sara Oschlag (vocals); Alan Barnes (reeds); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Arnie Somogyi (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sat 24: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 24: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sat 24: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 24: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 25: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: Bandstand Sessions @ The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free. A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Spanish City Plaza (outdoor stage). 1:00pm. Free. A Whitley Bay Carnival event.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Bourne (harp), Francis Tulip (guitar), James Owston (double bass), Joe Bainbridge (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Struggle Buggy @ The Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 25: Joe Steels Group + Norma Winstone (vocals); Nikki Iles (piano); Mike Walker (guitar); Steve Watts (double bass). 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Steels (guitar); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Susans (double bass); John Hirst (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 25: Xhosa Cole/Neil Charles/Mark Sanders @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A JNE promotion. Note: Xhosa Cole replaces Nicole Mitchell.

Mon 26: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 26: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

CD Review: Home Away From Home – The Colours Jazz Orchestra Plays the Music of Ayn Inserto

(Review by Dave Brownlow)
This is a startling album from the outstanding Composer/Arranger Ayn Inserto and the Colours Jazz Orchestra. Since 1999 Ayn has been steadily making a name for herself in the U.S. receiving countless awards but is, currently, perhaps less well-known in the U.K.
A musician writing avant-garde charts in sound, taking risks and creating some of the most complex, sophisticated, and clever music I’ve ever heard.
 Smooth-jazz this is not!
Ayn, an Associate Professor of Jazz Composition at Berklee College originally from Singapore,  and a pupil of Bob Brookmeyer in his latter years – he appeared as a soloist on her second album. Brookmeyer's influence can be felt throughout these seven pieces.
The Colours Jazz Orchestra, an Italian group led by Massimo Morganti, face the fierce challenge of playing this difficult music with aplomb.
You’re Leaving? But I Just Got Here is an “animated conversation” between orchestra and drums where sinuous lines of melody weave in and out. La Maida, Giardini and the orchestra add to the discussion and it all ends amicably.
Joe Henderson’s Recorda Me starts with dissonance throughout the intro before flowing into a tasteful reading of the theme. An elegant tenor solo from Sebastianelli complete with moments from ‘outside’ lead to a nicely resolved, quieter, ending.
Hang Around - a funky, swinging groove with accents in unexpected places – how far out can a blues go? This is further out than George Russell’s Blues In Orbit or Sun Ra’s Saturn! Soloists include Morganti, La Maida and Manzi.
La Danza Infinita, a stately dance in ¾ time begins with a melancholy woodwind ensemble leading into a multi-layered section of melody, counter-melody and more trombone from Morganti. Finally, the brass ‘Choir’ restates the theme in ‘Chorale’ style.
Down A Rabbit Hole, an up-tempo, technical ‘tour de force’ - the theme a headlong dash of clashing, interwoven lines full of unexpected twists and surprises – challenging for players and listener alike! Sebastianelli has the tenor solo.
Wintry Mix, a flowing blend of themes in a reflective mode. Brass, woodwinds, saxes, guitar and Marinelli's piano constantly intersect and interact.
Finally, Daniel Rosenthal's Subo, a festive, fiesta calypso and, perhaps. the most ‘conventional’ track on the album with solos from guitar, trombone, baritone and alto saxes.
Two quotes about Ayn Inserto are worth repeating here; “She’s Maria Schneider on steroids”! (Harvey Siders –Jazz Times Sept 2007).
Fred Hersch says “Ayn Inserto is in the forefront of a new generation of jazz composers who are accomplished, ambitious and truly personal.”
“Bravo Ayn” I say………
Dave B
CD available on NEUKLANG NCD 4097
Simone La Maida, Maurizio Moscatelli, Filippo Sebastianelli, Antonangelo Giudice, Marco Postacchini, (Saxes & Woodwinds); Giorgio Caselli, Luca Giardini, Giacomo Uncini, Samuele Garofoli, Jeff Claassen, (Trumpets); Massimo Morganti – Leader – Carlo Piermartire, Luca Pernici, Pierluigi Bastioli, (Trombones); Emilio Marinelli, (piano); Luca Pecchia, (Guitar); Gabriele Pesaresi;, (Bass); Massimo Manzi, (Drums). 

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