Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 2026)

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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

From This Moment On

October.

Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Murray Oak, Paul Grainger, John Bradford.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. First night of two.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

CD Review: Anthony E. Nelson - Swift to Hear, Slow to Speak.


Anthony E. Nelson (ten/sop); Josh Edwards (tpt); Bruce Williams (alt); Brandon McCune (pno); Kenny Davis (bs); Chris Beck (dms).
(Review by Lance).
This album placed me in the horns of a dilemma. I'm not a devout Christian, nor am I an out and out atheist which I guess makes me an agnostic - the guy who sits on the fence watching the other religious factions kill each other.
However, this site is renowned for its determination to avoid controversy on matters relating to religion, politics or the price of fish so, after glancing at the blurb, I listened to it before reading the full S.P.
It's one of the finest albums I've heard this year. A lovely Blue Note feel to it. Maybe Blue Note meets Contemporary somewhere in the 'Bible Belt'.
Nelson is a devout Christian and it would be churlish of me to decry his beliefs. Indeed, this could be the road to Damascus for many sceptics. Such is the relaxed swing of his playing that it makes me think I should have been reading Matthew 16:13-19 instead of Otto Langey's The Saxophone after I'd rescued an old, unplayable alto from a junk shop in North Shields! Unlike Coltrane's A Love Supreme, this isn't a fire and brimstone sermon but rather a loving gospel to music and jazz in particular.
There's no other word for it - Divine"
at

3 comments :

Vegan Potamus said...

Hi Lance, your reviews are gold in my newsfeed. The link you have for sample/purchase this CD has a period at the end which kills the link. Also, CD Baby lists this as a CD-RP. A CDR? Not sure, so I emailed them for clarification.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016 2:30:00 pm
Lance said...

Link to Amazon working - MP3 in stock. I have an actual CD so they must be available.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016 2:50:00 pm
Holly Cooper said...

Thank you, Lance, fantastic review!! For Vegan Potamus, it's available on several digital sites and here at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Swift-Hear-Speak-Anthony-Nelson/dp/B01GKFZIZ0. I love this CD and I'm not religious either ;>)

Thursday, July 21, 2016 3:32:00 pm

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