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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Linskill Centre, North Shields. 4:00-10:30pm. Free, but ticketed (over 18s only). A multi-bill, multi-genre ‘Canny Shiels - North Shields 800’ event. Three Kings Brewery on site.
Sat 28: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 29: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 29: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 3:00pm. Ray McVay & co.
Sun 29: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 29: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 29: Zoë Gilby w. Ryton Choral Society @ Corbridge Middle School NE45 5HX. 5:30pm. £15.00. Gilby w jazz trio & choir. ‘An evening of jazz song for choir’.
Sun 29: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 29: John Wilson & the Sinfonia of London @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Greatest Hits’.
Sun 29: Out Front @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

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

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

CD Review: Phronesis - Parallax.

Jasper Høiby – bass; Ivo Neame – Piano; Anton Eger – drums
(Review by Hugh C.)
Phronesis have excellent rapport, continuously feeding off each other, whether live or on disc.  Parallax, recorded in a single day at London's Abbey Road Studios, characterises the trio’s many features such as their rhythmic drive and a common melodic sense exemplified by the constant shifts of mood and texture.
The three musicians each composed three of the nine tracks.  They are generally up-tempo, although there are occasional reflective moments on this, their sixth release.
The first track progresses at 67000 MPH (well probably not really, but that's what it's called – after the earth's speed around the sun) rapidly followed by OK Chorale.  Stillness (as you might expect) begins with a somewhat less frenetic approach and features nice arco bass playing by Høiby. However, by about midway, They're are up to speed again. Kite for Seamus features the piano of composer Neave in contemplative mood, backed by Eger's gentle brushwork, with Høiby's bass coming to the fore later into the piece.  Just 4 Now regains the groove, driven by Eger's relentless percussion (at a Sage Gateshead gig my companion likened him to the Duracell bunny once he gets going!). Ayu is followed by A Silver Moon (no, not that one).  Manioc Maniac is a slightly mad romp before Rabat, which completes the set. 
The publicity accompanying the review copy suggests that Parallax is subtly different to their previous material, but carries all the standout features of the band's approach to music making.  I think this is probably true to an extent, but I had the feeling on both auditions that most of what I was hearing on Parallax was quite similar to what I had heard before.  A quick listen to my copy of Life to Everything (their previous release) would suggest that this is the case.  However, it does not decrease the enjoyment of the experience (especially if you like this kind of music), but those expecting something novel may be disappointed – by the same token, of course, die-hard fans of Phronesis will be well pleased!
Phronesis are great heard live, and are touring, but the nearest they approach BSH territory is Manchester's Band on the Wall (June 14) or Liverpool's Hope University Capstone Hall on April 29.
Hugh.
Parallax is available as download, CD or vinyl and is released by Edition Records on April 8, 2016.  CD Catalogue No. EDN1070; LP Catalogue No.  EDNLP1070

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