Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18548 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 412 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 19) 66

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

May

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Miles Davis & His Favourite Musicians.
Thu 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 28: Bobby Rush @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. + bf. Veteran USA bluesman.
Thu 28: Squabble @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 28: 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 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.

Sat 30: Giles Strong Quartet @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £1.50 bf.

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

June

Mon 01: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Mon 01: CW Stoneking @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Blues, Americana.

Tue 02: Mark Williams Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 02: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thursday, January 28, 2016

CD Review: Gerard Presencer & the Danish Radio Big Band – Groove Travels

(Review by Russell)
Groove Travels is Gerard Presencer’s first big band album. The third of his three solo recording projects dates from 2001. An academic career and touring world wide with a number of Charlie Watts’ jazz ensembles has more than occupied the British trumpeter. Relocating to Copenhagen to work with the acclaimed Danish Radio Big Band opens a new chapter.
This Edition Records’ release comprises eight tracks (all arranged by Presencer, five of them composed by the trumpeter and three others of ‘classic’ status) recorded by Lars C Bruun at Danish Radio Studios in January 2015. Presencer has a nineteen piece band to work with plus two guest musicians – American Adam Rapa recruited as lead trumpeter and Cuban percussionist Eliel Lazo – making for a mammoth exercise. Presencer has an ace up his sleeve in having worked with the musicians for several years. Another Weirdo opens Groove Travels. We’ve all been there – sitting quietly on the bus, or in Presencer’s case, the train, minding one’s own business when the weirdo gets on and sits down in the one available seat…the one next to you. GP takes a flugel solo on this one, trumpet is his secondary instrument on this recording. The tune is a ‘groove’ vehicle, a common theme across the album. The rhythm section is given due prominence throughout, bassist Kaspar Vadsholt’s electric excursions to the fore, as is the smart drumming of Søren Frost and an eclectic mix of Fender Rhodes, Hammond and synths courtesy of Henrik Gunde.
Groove Travels references time and place; Eleanor Rigby (GP: This melody has always captured my imagination), Blues for Des (GP: This is essentially a West African rhythm …something trumpeter Woody Shaw would play), Wayne Shorter’s Footprints features tenor saxophonist Hans Ulrik, Presencer inspired by American tv cop shows and an Afro- Cuban groove in a reharmonisation of the tune. The Devil’s Larder is an exercise in the ‘shameless excess’ sometimes evident in progressive rock and the jazz big band. Gerard Presencer states: I wrote this piece for the drummer in my small band Chris Dagley. The dubious prospect of melding rock with jazz is quickly dispelled. What makes it work is the writing and playing. Presencer is well aware he has got a great band at his disposal.
Groove Travels by Gerard Presencer & the Danish Radio Big Band on Edition Records is released on January 29, available on CD EDN 1065 and LP EDN 1065.
Gerard Presencer: This recording is dedicated to the grooving memory of Chris Dagley.           
Russell.
Gerard Presencer (trumpet & flugelhorn) & 
Danish Radio Big Band: 
Trumpets Michael Mølhede, Christer Gustafsson, Thomas Kjaergaard, Jens Chr. Gotholdt. 
Trombones Vincent Nilsson, Steen Hansen, Anders Larson, Ola Nordquist.
Tuba & bass trombone André Jensen. 
Saxophones Nicolai Schultz, Peter Fuglsang, Pelle Fridell, Hans Ulrik Jensen, Karl-Martin Almqvist, Anders Gaardmand. 
Guitar Per Gade. 
Double bass & electric bass Kaspar Vadsholt. 
Drums Søren Frost.
Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ & synths Henrik Gunde. 
Special guests lead trumpet Adam Rapa; percussion Eliel Lazo.
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