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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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Guests: Jeremy McMurray (piano); Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Mark Toomey (alto sax); Mark Hawkins (drums); Adrian Beadnell (bass).

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

Sat 03: Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Summer Samba Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 03: Struggle Buggy @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 03: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Postmodern Jukebox @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:30pm. Free.

Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 04: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 04: Boys of Brass @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Ben Crosland Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 06: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £14.00. Tel: 0191 237 3697. ‘Victory in Europe Afternoon Tea’ (VE Day 80th anniversary).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: FILM: Whiplash @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 8:15pm.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

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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