Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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, August 17, 2016

CD Review: Barney Kessel - Live At the Jazz Mill 1954

Barney Kessel (guitar); Pete Jolly (piano); Gene Stoffali (bass); Art Kile (drums).
(Review by Maurice J. Summerfield).
In 1954 Barney Kessel was only 31 years old yet he had already had been, in the late 1940’s, the featured guitarist in the Artie Shaw, Charlie Barnet and Benny Goodman bands.  In 1947 he was a member of Charlie Parker’s All Stars and, in 1952 -1953, toured the world with Norman Granz’s JATP package both as a soloist and as an integral part of the Oscar Peterson Trio.  
Kessel also featured as sideman/soloist on dozens of jazz recordings produced by Norman Granz including groups as disparate as those led by Lester Young, Benny Carter, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O’Day, Kid Ory, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Ben Webster, Harry Edison, Buddy De Franco, Buddy Rich and many other jazz greats.
Leonard Feather wrote in Downbeat, that Barney Kessel is as lyrical a guitarist as we have in jazz today, and is also a rhythmic natural who can outswing any man in the house.
This 62 years old, newly discovered, recording confirms that Feather was 100% correct. Taped by a, then 21-year old, jazz fan Jack Miller, the tracks have been selected from those recorded by Miller during Kessel’s ten-night residency at the ‘Jazz Mill’ club in Phoenix, Arizona backed by the Pete Jolly Trio.
The quality of the recording is surprisingly good.   Released 12 years after the great jazz musician’s death, this CD (also available on vinyl) shows Kessel at his swinging best and as such is a must for jazz guitar lovers.  Songs featured on the recording are Strike up the Band, How About You, Get Happy, Stardust, Seven come Eleven, Rose Room, Somebody Loves Me and Embraceable You.  Pete Jolly fans will also be delighted at the discovery of this early recording. 
Kessel is at the height of his powers here and one which I heartily recommend. My only small complaint is the CD, at 42.03 minutes, is a bit short by today’s norm although  vinyl fans might not complain!.
Maurice J. Summerfield.

1 comment :

Russell said...

A new release, great! Off to JG Windows to see if they've got a vinyl copy!

Blog Archive