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.

Saturday, July 09, 2016

CD Review: Os Clavelitos (Little Carnations) - Arriving

(Review by Ann Alex)
Are you thinking of opening a Spanish restaurant, or maybe having a party? Then this CD would be just right as lively atmospheric background music, then when the guests have gone, you could enjoy listening to it properly, to appreciate the fine singing of Ms Honda, the rich solos from flute and tenor sax, and the Latin rhythms produced by light drums, bongos, bells and the occasional whistle.  Even the sad love songs sound almost happy to the Brazilian grooves of samba, baiao, frevo, bossa, or even bolero and cha-cha.
This is the debut album from Os Clavelitos, a New York City based band, whose members hail from Brazil, Japan and the USA. The aim was to set English lyrics to traditional Brazilian rhythms and to include some folkloric elements.  All the songs are original, with lyrics and tunes composed by Lanni, Kendall and Honda. The lyrics concern romance, loss, nostalgia and a hint of whimsy.  I was struck by the fascinating difference of these lyrics from the swinging songs of the Gasbook.  The latter tend to be witty and concise, whereas these songs are obviously from a different tradition, being wandering narrative tales with many references to the natural world.
I simply relaxed and enjoyed the rhythm based sounds, especially Sands Of Memories, a song of lost love with a gorgeous flute solo; an amusing track called Tom Cruise Samba, in which Tom Cruise is over-praised, a piss-take about celebrity, ending with the words ‘you complete me! Tom Cruise! Jump on my couch Tom Cruise’; and Frost, a slower number with lots of cold images and a shimmering, shivering flute solo.  Other titles are Eunice; Arriving; Profondo Blu; Dewberry; Unrest of Mind; Fiumerapido; and Afrose.
The only downside to the CD concerns the book of lyrics provided, which is in such small print that I had to use a magnifying glass as well as my reading specs to decipher the words of the songs.
Arriving was self-released on June 24 and is available, I'm told, at all fine retailers.  Get a flavour of the music by visiting www.osclavelitos.com
Ann Alex     
Chieko Honda (vocals); Anthony Lanni (guitar, backing vocals); Dan Kendall (bass, cavaquinho, accordion, backing vocals); Livio Almeida (ten/sop saxes, flute); Uka Gameiro (drums, perc);
Arei Sekiguchi (perc), special guests Patrick Lo Re and Tosh Sheridan (backing vocals)
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