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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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

Monday, February 22, 2016

Kathryn Lowdon EP Launch @ Hoochie Coochie - Feb. 21


Kathryn Lowdon (vcl); James Harrison (keys); Paul Gowland  (saxes); David Gray (tmb); Elliot Todd (tpt); Katy Trigger (bs gtr); Steve Doyle (dms); Jasmin Storey (backing vcls).
(Review by Lance).
A curate's egg - the highs were high, very high, - the lows were somewhat less. Lowdon has an amazing range. Those of us old enough to remember Yma Sumac (and I may be the only one) will recall the Peruvian songstress' ability to span 5 octaves. Lowdon works in that dimension! When she hits it, it's game, set, and match. When she doesn't it's 0-6, 0-6..
Tonight it was mainly the former, although there were a few tiebreakers!
However, bearing in mind that this was the band's first ever live gig, it was an impressive performance and the dancers who eventually took to the floor appreciated the opportunity to shake a leg or three!
It began with a vamp till ready riff "triggering" an abnormal change in my heartbeat, or so I thought, but no, just sitting too close to the speaker - Katy can achieve that effect without playing a note!
Then on came KL, I Can Make You Feel Good she sang and we did feel good. On keyboard, James hit the right notes along with some better ones and the horns chipped in with solos and riffs..
Bewitched was an unexpected extract from the GASB. Verse sung with James' sympathetic accompaniment, before going into a medium swing blast with the band then back to James for the bridge then stomping off again on this, one of the most theatrical of Larry Hart's lyrics.
And indeed, theatre is an integral part of Lowdon's stagecraft, e.g. "Good morning heartache, sit down" and, right on cue, she sat down!
The occasion being the launch of her EP - Cake - not surprisingly, the most polished numbers were the 5 originals from the disc. What was surprising was the low-key approach to promoting them, in fact I didn't see anyone selling them!
Other material included a Beatles/Stones mix of  All the Lonely People and Satisfaction; Bang Bang, by Cher; Cry me a River (natch!) and an Aretha Franklyn tribute.
The band, augmented for the gig, did the business as expected with the horns filling in the gaps with solos and riffs. Harrison, as ever, the ace accompanist, Trigger the heartbeat and Doyle the lynchpin.
Oh yes and a special word for Storey who, on the final encore, was promoted from backing singer to duo partner and justly so.
An excellent gig but still, I feel, a work in progress.
Lance.

2 comments :

Liz said...

I remember Yma Sumac, what category does that place me in? don't answer that!!

Patti said...

Me too - I also remember Minnie Ripperton!

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