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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Lewis Watson Quartet @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Latin jazz/top-rated dance bands.
Thu 06: Rose Room @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 06: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Helen Barber (vocals) & Alex Moon (piano).
Thu 06: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. Guests: Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Donna Hewitt (alto sax); Kevin Eland (trumpet); Graham Thompson (keys); Ron Smith (bass). 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. The session is now monthly, first Thursday in the month.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Old Lowlight, Clifford’s Fort, North Shields NE30 1JE. 7:00pm. £15.00. + bf. www.oldlowlight.co.uk. SOLD OUT!
Fri 07: Stuart Turner Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Jazz, blues, Americana etc.
Fri 07: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 07: Rose Room @ Wylam Institute. 8:00pm. £19.67.
Fri 07: John Rowland Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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

Friday, February 12, 2016

CD review: Aruán Ortiz Trio - Hidden Voices

(Review by Alan Law.)
This is a new piano trio album from the Cuban born pianist, violinist composer and arranger Aruán Ortiz .joining him on bass is Eric Revis is and Gerald Cleaver drums.
All new names to me, but a cursory look on Google revealed Ortiz has written music for jazz ensembles, orchestras, dance companies, chamber groups, and feature films. His work incorporates influences from contemporary classical music, Cuban-Haitian rhythms, and avant-garde improvisation
On the composers website there is reference to a recent project in which non musical patterns and ideas were explored as fuel for improvised music.
This may explain some of the titles of the original compositions, which frequently refer to mathematical concepts.
Fractal Sketches starts with a dissonant grooving pattern, augmented by a dramatic percussive left hand with scurrying bass and drums, Open And Close /The Sphinx an Ornette Coleman tune, imaginatively re-interpreted with a cool bass figure periodically giving way to bright classical sounding passages Carribean Vortex/Hidden Voices begins with an unfamiliar clave pattern that becomes a percussion conversation, and the rhythmic drive continues when the trio begin. There is some dissonance involved, however, the pedal point and strong rhythm holds the listener well.
Analytical Symmetry intensity in one area is offset by the other players in this brooding exploration.
Arabesques of a Geometrical Rose (Spring) a spacious meditative piano solo with some gently mind expanding harmonic contrary motion.
Arabesques of a Geometrical Rose (Summer) a compelling hypnotic bassline underscores this very different take on the subject matter.
17 Moments of Liams Moments (or 18) is a brief composition that manages to sound avant garde yet structured, and is curiously evocative.
Joyful noises is a collective textural improvisation, punctuated by occasional timed bold chords. The Monk standard Skippy follows, the theme is there but has been deconstructed and re wrought by this masterfully creative trio.
Uno Dos Tres , Que Paso , is a solo piano piece and the last tune on the album.
It has a simple memorable melody (you can hear the rhythm of the title syllables throughout) that serves as a basis for a beautifully contemplative exposition.
The listening warranted time and my best stereo set up, it’s not something I could get into in the car, but I found it extremely rewarding when I gave the attention it warranted.  
The album is well recorded with a great sounding piano in particular, and if your ear can handle a bit of dissonance there is something deeply impressive here.
The improvised passages are marked by a commitment to the total sound of the music, as well as weapons grade virtuosity, and the effect is a sense of instant composition and arrangement, which is very satisfying in itself. However, I also found myself very engaged emotionally and rather touched on several occasions.
Imaginative, cerebral and very emotionally engaging, I found this a serious, and seriously good, contemporary jazz album.
Alan.
Aruán Ortiz Trio - Hidden Voices is available on Intakt Records.

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