Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18721 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 585 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 18) 49

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

July

Sat 25: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. Cheek to Cheek - Ella Fitgerald. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Costa Café (within Next), MetroCentre, Gateshead. 2:00-3:00pm. Free.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Bright Street Big Band @ Sandhaven Amphitheatre, South Shields. 3.30-5.30pm.
Sun 26: Jo Harrop & Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.
Sun 26: King Bees @ Luckies, Jesmond, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Chicago blues.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: Liam & Shayo @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Liam Oliver (guitar), Shayo Oshodi (vocals).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ Music Dept., Durham University. 9:15pm. A Durham Fringe Festival event

Thu 30: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 30: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes. .

Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Milne Glendinning Band @ Repas 7 by Night, Berwick. 8:00-9:00pm. £6.00. A Berwick Fringe Festival event. £6.00 (£6.00 wristband access to all Fringe events).

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

CD Review: Alex Merritt Quartet - Anatta.

Alex Merritt (ten); John Turville (pno); Sam Lasserman (bs); Jeff Williams (dms).
(Review by Lance).
Four of the younger stalwarts of today's jazz scene (the legendary Williams is young in spirit!) Musicians capable of producing inventive, contemporary, sounds without raising the hackles of those with an ear for a well-turned phrase.
Merritt incorporates the sound of early Stan Getz with the approach of Warne Marsh. He quotes Joe Henderson and Coltrane amongst his influences which isn't a bad place to be. Five of the pieces are originals by Merritt with some quirky titles. Conn Artist which, in an ideal world, if Alex is blowing a Conn tenor, should have every aspiring tenor saxist wanting a Conn (do they still make them?). Justin Time-berlake! - I ask you!
Takes on Monk's Ugly Beauty and Pannonica and, straight out of left field, Eubie Blake's Memories of You! And why not? It's one of the great jazz standards and, without wishing to denigrate Alex's own compositions, will be around long after Justin Time-berlake, and the inspiration for the title, have been buried in the sand!
But, for today, this is as beautiful a British offering as you're likely to hear all year. Merritt's tenor has the aforementioned Getz/Marsh sound that I love - dry but not arid. Turville - you want a piano man who can cover all the bases? Look no further. Jarrett? - nah!
Lasserman impressed on his recent Sage Gateshead gig with Arguelles and no doubt he'll be back with this quartet. Whoops! No! 3 gigs in London, 1 in Colchester, 1 in Cambridge and, their most northerly - Wellingborough, Northampton.
Shame.
Jeff Williams' CV just about matches anyone's and his sympathetic, intuitive playing here tells us why.
Memories of You is beautiful and, take it from me, neither Eubie or Benny [Goodman] are turning in their graves!
Amazingly, this is due for release on the F-ire label - a label that doesn't always stay within the walls.They've done it here! Bravo!
The CD,  Alex Merritt Quartet - Anatta will be released on December 4 (F-ire) with an official launch at the Vortex Jazz club on December 10.
Lance.
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