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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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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, June 22, 2016

CD Review: Miroslav Vitous – Music of Weather Report

Miroslav Vitous – double bass, keyboards; Gary Campbell, Roberto Bonisolo – soprano and tenor saxophones; Aydin Esen – keyboards; Gerald Cleaver, Nasheet Waits – drums.
(Review by Hugh C).
Miroslav Vitous, with Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter, was one of the co-founders of Weather Report in the early 1970s.  In Music of Weather Report he revisits some of their repertoire.  Scarlet Woman Variations is a great introduction and recognisably derived from Johnson, Shorter and Zawinul's original, but with some interesting takes on this signature melody.  Vitous then turns his attention one of his own compositions, Seventh Arrow.  This has a “free” feel with the two drummers, both independently minded, often apparently at odds with each other, but at the same time palpably interacting. 
One and one half minutes of Multidimension Blues 2 follows, this being one of three such pieces dotted through the CD.  Birdland Variations offers fleeting glimpses of Zawinul's original, whilst at the same time being almost a new composition.  Vitous often plays arco on this track complementing Gary Campbell and Roberto Bonisolo on saxophones as a virtual third horn.  Multidimension Blues 1 now turns up.  Pinocchio by Wayne Shorter, originally appeared on a Miles Davis album in 1967, reappearing on Weather Report's Mr Gone in 1978.  This is another interesting take on this oft-played tune with reharmonisation by keyboardist Aydin Esen.  Acrobat Issues and Scarlet Reflections, both compositions by Vitous, precede Multidimensional Blues 3.  The CD finishes with Morning Lake, another Vitous composition for the original band and (along with Seventh Arrow) on their debut CD.  A recording of a real thunderstorm in real time (it was meant to be, according to Vitous) forms part of this final track.
This CD is a bit like the British weather:  periods of dull grey skies with the occasional sunny interval and unexpected showers.  One really doesn't know what to put on!  I must admit that, with the exception of  Birdland and Scarlet Woman, the original versions were unfamiliar to me.  I did hear snippets of melody that I recognised in some of the other tracks.  There is certainly the spirit of Weather Report throughout, whether (no pun intended) there is enough to persuade lovers of the original band to buy this is open to question.  It is certainly an interesting take on their music and artistically of a very high standard (not unexpected given the calibre of the musicians involved).  Would I buy it for myself – probably not.  Would I recommend it to others?  If you have money to spare and are interested in a quirky and inventive take on the music of Weather Report – yes.
Hugh C
Music of Weather Report is now out on ECM – Catalogue Number: 377 2956

1 comment :

Steven T. said...

It will go in to my basket and hopefully at some point I'' buy it. I love Weather Report and all her bass players and I think all of his albums for ECM are amongst the best I've ever heard from the label.

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