Total Pageviews

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

18018 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 339 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (May 7).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Tue 13: ???

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Recital (stage 2): Leah Kirk (voice) @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 3:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 14: Jerron Paxton @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £24.20. Excellent country blues multi-instrumentalist.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. BACK IN BUSINESS, all welcome!

Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: The Greatest in Jazz - Guitarists.
Thu 15: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 15: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). John Garner & John Pope.

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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, January 26, 2016

PARIS-SUR-TYNE @ The Lit & Phil January 24 (Afternoon Session)

(Review by Ken Drew/photos to follow)
In Love With –  Théo Ceccaldi (Violin); Valentin Ceccaldi (Cello; Sylvain Darrifourcq (Drums).
Straight in with a repetitive driving rhythm from Valentin leading to multiple crescendos interspersed with freestyle playing.  With very thoughtful and explosive passages – and such dynamic interplay!!  There were long spans of repetitive but intriguing rhythms, like a well-tempered whirring clock unwinding, always precise and developing with a slowly increasing intensity. At various points sounds were almost frozen in time – certainly they were hanging in the air.  It was like listening to music concrète performed live, and many sections wouldn’t be out of place as a film soundtrack.   
Constantly supported by percussion which was mostly but not entirely the sole domain of the drums with Sylvain augmenting his drum kit with an assortment of devices including bells, kitchen timer, and a zither which itself had various tonal attachments.  A rather sudden and brief ending closed the piece, but nicely brought together by the band. The audience were captivated by the intense playing – giving the trio a standing ovation at the end!!!!  
Liaisons Dangerouse -  Xavier Camarasa (piano); Andy Champion (Bass); Guillaume Aknine (Guitar); Corey Mwamba (Vibes).  
Taking a few minutes to establish each player’s credentials with solos exploring new ground, but with constant attention and backing from the other players.  There was much percussive output from each player - Xavier playing inside the piano (with felt mallets) and outside (the keys), and guitar adding atmosphere with processed guitar sounds and extensive use of bottleneck (used normally, percussively and scrapingly).  Andy demonstrated his improve versatility with the double bass (playing, plucking and bowing including the use of a felt mallet at one point) with Corey more subtle than voluminous in his thoughtful playing of the vibes (including the use of a bungee in place of mallets although it didn’t seem to stretch the notes!) thus fitting in well with the overall meandering soundscape. This was all about sonority and interplay, although background rhythms were often in evidence too.
Théo Ceccaldi  Trio - Théo Ceccaldi (Violin);  Guillaume Aknine (Guitar); Valentin Ceccaldi (Cello)
An unusual mix of instruments to say the least but like the previous set it was all about the band listening and developing (through improvisation) the overall sound.  Rhythms came and went – each member seemingly in charge as they took up the lead.  Valentin gave his all from quiet passages to manic bowing, and Théo was on fire too at various points throughout. Guillaume came to the fore at the end with an almost traditional use of the electric guitar – ably supported by Théo and Valentin, producing an overall complex sound with a strong rock-like rhythm.   What a journey this piece was.  Théo the maestro on violin!!! 
Garibaldi Plop   - Roberto Negro (Piano) representing the Italian component; Valentin Ceccaldi (Cello); Sylvain Darrifourcq (Drums).
Starting with a very gentle piano introduction by Roberto there was very thoughtful playing employing some interesting techniques and devices on the piano – including several well placed runs through all the keys, and with added effects including an attachment to the piano soundboard making tones like a musical saw !!    Overall Sylvain brought a varied and interesting mix of percussive and rhythmic support.  Generally the drums responded in kind to the other instruments, although occasionally they overpowered the piano but were well matched in supporting the cello in some nice interplay between the two.
Overall this was an exhilarating afternoon of (modern) jazz brought about by the high standard and energy of the players, and the mixing of the 8 musicians across the 4 sets.    To be fair I saw two people leave this session early – presumably they were expecting a somewhat ‘safer’ kind of jazz rather than modern improv incorporating thoughtful, inventive and often edgy performances which we were treated to.  And what a treat it was – such superb musicianship!!  The audience (60+ in numbers) were well rewarded for their attendance and their attentiveness.  The heartfelt thanks from the musicians confirmed it to be quite a special event for everyone involved.  A veritable success!!!
Ken.

No comments :

Blog Archive