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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

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

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:15pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall, Stocksfield. 1:30pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm.
Sat 24: Dean Stockdale Quartet + Mingus Sings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums) + Mingus Sings: Sara Oschlag (vocals); Alan Barnes (reeds); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Arnie Somogyi (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sat 24: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 24: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sat 24: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 24: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 25: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: Bandstand Sessions @ The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free. A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Spanish City Plaza (outdoor stage). 1:00pm. Free. A Whitley Bay Carnival event.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Bourne (harp), Francis Tulip (guitar), James Owston (double bass), Joe Bainbridge (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Struggle Buggy @ The Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 25: Joe Steels Group + Norma Winstone (vocals); Nikki Iles (piano); Mike Walker (guitar); Steve Watts (double bass). 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Steels (guitar); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Susans (double bass); John Hirst (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 25: Xhosa Cole/Neil Charles/Mark Sanders @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A JNE promotion. Note: Xhosa Cole replaces Nicole Mitchell.

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, May 24, 2016

CD Reviews: Jack DeJohnette, Ravi Coltrane and Matthew (son of Jimmy) Garrison - In Movement. Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard and Steve Swallow - Andando el Tiempo.

 (Review by Steven T)
When I was offered a pair of ECM albums to review I declared upfront that I have a love/hate relationship with the label. I generally hate them but occasionally stumble across one I really like.
Lightweight and boring, meaningless meanderings and pointless doodling claim the no camp, but believers, who like the European classicism, will point out that it's all done with incredible taste, which could be a contradiction in terms.
In a sense, it's an easy review since most people won't take a blind bit of notice; they'll either already have them or couldn't be paid to take them for fear of contaminating their collection.
This pair didn't quite fit my usual criteria; I couldn't say I hate the Carla Bley insomuch as I don't care sufficiently, which may be worse. So far, I don't particularly love the Jack DeJohnette, though there's a lot about it I really like, and perhaps room for that to grow through repeated listening.   
When I first saw the Bley album I thought I already had it but, following exploration, realised that the album sleeve is almost identical to her previous album, Trios. I couldn't remember anything about it and when I couldn't find it I realised I must have sold it.
In the spiel, it claims that the album (Trios) 'further reveals itself each and every listen' which I mustn't have given it the opportunity to do. We all know that some music, often the best music, requires repeated listening, which sneaks up on you, and we all pour scorn on music you hear twenty seconds of on the radio and then can't get it out of your head. But how many times do you need to play something before you can say you just don't like it? And how much music are you missing out on while you persevere? I use the power of three from the 'charmed' girls (which I watch for the intelligent scripts, innovative direction and quality acting).
I've been listening to lots of strange and varied music for many years and if I haven't got it after three plays, that's it. It's not an exact science and the odd thing may slip through but it's the best system I've come up with.
The claim is that Bley is more composer than pianist, though she's blissfully ignorant about right or wrong ways of writing songs, and this is why she plays less notes; the music is big band reduced to a trio and perfect chamber music. But comparisons to Duke, Monk, Miles and Mingus are just wishful thinking on a grand scale.
Sheppard is great but there are lots of his own albums available. A legendary British guitarist visiting the North East claimed ECM label boss Manfred Eicker wants music to listen to on a Norwegian mountain top, and a lot of it sounds like horns blowing down the fjords, though it could do with a bit more rape and pillage. 
The Jack DeJohnette, Ravi Coltrane are covers of Trane senior, Miles and Earth Wind and Fire at their funkiest best, I'd have bought this anyway, even before I found out bass guitarist Matthew Garrison is son of bass player Jimmy from Ravi' fathers most celebrated group.
'No pressure then' could go on Ravi Coltrane' headstone and you have to admire him for piling it on playing with these two. The shared history and anticipation of the blending of tradition and innovation are palpable and it's to their credit that, while the earth doesn't move, they just about pull it off.
Couple of slowies to kick off though Trane senior's Alabama is far from slight.
'Two Jimmys' (Garrison and Hendrix) picks up the pace with a pumping five string bass line, hi-hat  and some Hendrixesque soundscapes from Garrison junior's electronic looping evoking mid/late sixties hippiedom. Just before the four minute mark, sparse, syncopated drumming teases the listener into thinking it will kick in fully but as subtly as it builds, it fades leaving you wanting more.
DeJohnette switches to keyboards for Kind of Blue's almost masterpiece Blue in Green with the music, as on all the covers, sneaking in and out of the song form, but it's a disappointment, though a bold statement to use 'hallowed material' as an interlude.
The more you wanted after 'two Jimmys' comes in the form of Serpentine Fire, best track on EWFs finest album. A short bass intro brings in bass drum, bass guitar growling once again and the bass drum is back in, this time with sax. After a few subtle hints, three minutes in we get the familiar melody from the source material before a great sax solo and then back to the melody. No pressure but what a fine player Ravi is and his solo albums, without exception, are well worth it, but don't expect your world to change.
Rashied is a tribute to Rashied Ali who did a duet album with Trane senior in his late period called Interstellar Space. It's also a duet with drums and Ravi playing impressive sopranino and is livelier than I remember Interstellar Space, though I probably need to revisit it. An album may be too much and most Joe Lovano albums seem to have a track of drums/ sax duet which works well.
It's back to the piano for DeJohnette on album closer 'Soulful Ballad' which similarly doesn't work. Ironic that the tracks which work the least are those with the Bley format of piano, bass and sax.
The album claims to have a very C21st sound which isn't locked in to any genre, which makes it difficult for the layperson to review, with so little to relate it to. By way of having a go: Weather Report, and Miroslav Vitous ' ECM albums are ones I've particularly enjoyed and, would you believe Led Zeppelin circa fourth album for shared sonic soundscapes; check out John Bonham' drums on 'when the levee breaks' . 
Bley will only be of interest to followers of the artist and/ or label while anybody who likes ECM, Ravi and/or Jack DeJohnette, or is in to the whole Trane oeuvre, will want to check out the latter. Anybody who isn't familiar with ECM should certainly give it a go and you could do worse - much worse - than start here.
Steve T.
Jack DeJohnette, Ravi Coltrane and Matthew Garrison - In Movement available now on ECM 2488.
Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard and Steve Swallow - Andando el Tiempo available now on ECM 2487.


No comments :

Blog Archive