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 04, 2015

EP review: Simon Taylor & the Sundowners - New York City Girl

Ivel Goverda (vcl); Simon Taylor (gtr/vcl); Paul Taylor (pno); Jamie Shield or Ian Paterson (bs); Jon Forster (dms 5 tks); Simon Coleman (dms 1 tk/perc); Eddie Bellis (tmb 2 tks); Rosie Bristow (acc 1 tk).
What an absolutely delightful vignette! Not quite jazz, not quite rock/funk but a winding and intriguing path between those genres.
Taylor's and Goverda's vocals bounce off each other it's a mini jazz/rock opera but let the participants tell the story.
The title track celebrates a Holly Golightly-ish socialite who embodies the style of the Big Apple in a swing jazz setting. Hollywood Smile is an early hours romp through a blurred cityscape with a glamorous accomplice in tow. Les Rues de Paris delivers a melancholic waltz through the sights of Paris whilst EP closer Adieu offers a cheery send-off to a roguish ex-beau. As a bonus the Sundowners single Hot Love/Crazy are tagged on. 
The titles themselves I'm sure could trigger off a hundred short stories, even a couple of novels! It's wonderfully laid back but so emotive. A slight country feel but not enough to become allergic to. I found myself growing to it with repeated listenings. The lyrics have the feel of Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell.
Brother Paul on piano indicates just how wide his musical landscape is. He's at the Bridge on Sunday with Long Lonesome Go which will be different.
Check them both out.
Simon Taylor and the Sundowners' CD - New York City Girl (my album title of the year) will be launched on Friday December 4 at the Miner's Institute next to the Lit and Phil. They will be supported by Alter Cosmos, who fuse elements of trip hop, Catalan folk and acid jazz, alongside the much lauded singer-songwriter Lesley Roley.
Lance
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive