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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: 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

Saturday, December 05, 2015

CD Review: Jazz at the Movies - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Bang

Joanna Eden (vcl); Mark Crooks (clt/ten); Chris Ingham (pno); Rev. Andrew J. Brown (bs); George Double (dms).
(Review by Lance).
Just as I'm struggling to find my CD's of the Year I thought that, at least, I'd got the Vocal CD Gong nailed down - Rebecca Kilgore's Just Imagine was leading by a country furlong - all bets were off - then, from out of left field, this one arrived! Talk about a dead heat!
Well, I guess, Becky gets the nod but, only because Joanna and her Kiss Kiss Bang Bang gang's disc isn't officially launched until January - what a benchmark for 2016 warblers!
An interpretation of some of the movies greatest songs (thankfully, The Sound of Music doesn't figure!). Apart from being a singer that I want to hear more and more of, Joanna is also teacher and mentor of the latest Bond singer - Sam Smith. On the Bond theme, the title of the album Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was in fact rejected by the Thunderball team - this recording exonerates John Barry & Leslie Bricusse! 
All the songs are magnificent. Put the Blame on Mame - Rita Hayworth miming it to Anita Ellis' vocal in Gilda. Joanna recreates the moment perfectly.
I didn't see Dick Tracy but Sondheim's Sooner or Later created such a mood I thought I had (admittedly I did read the comics!) great lyric.
Close Enough For Love - the greatest story never told - with Crooks' Getzian tenor adding the piquancy to the vocal and the lyric and Chris Ingham pitching in with some nice piano.
So much more, in fact More Than You Know including verse.
I'd Rather Have the Blues by Frank De Vol was sung behind the titles by Nat King Cole as Mickey Spillane's Kiss Me Deadly unfolded. Frank De Vol, Nat King Cole, Mickey Spillane brought together by this band!
Great songs, great films, great band, great singer.
Chris Ingham last appeared in these pages via a rave review of his acclaimed Hoagy album (with Russ Morgan on drums) and the raves continue. Crooks' claim to fame may be with the John Wilson Orchestra but he is equally at home in a small group and his tenor/clarinet playing, along with Ingham's piano, Rev. Brown's bass and Doubles's drums provide the perfect setting for one of the finest vocal albums I've heard for quite awhile!
Lance.
Jazz at the Movies - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Bang is to be launched at the Bull's Head Barnes on January 23, 2016. 
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1 comment :

Liz said...

This is a wonderful Cd for ( in my humble) late night listening, Joanna Eden delights us with such a diverse selection of numbers. So good to see Leslie Bricusse/Tony Newley being recognised and remembered for their fine contributions, especially "Pure Imagination" A great blend of backing musicians but for me, again a personal opinion, the sax is always King. As a Sondheim fan I adore that line from "Sooner or later" " The more you resist Babe, the more it excites me" and who couldn't be reminded of Michelle Pfeiffer draping herself across the piano in "The fabulous Baker Boys" singing " More than you know" Every time I play this CD, it brings something new to the table, and now sits amongst my favourites.

Sunday, December 06, 2015 11:35:00 am

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