Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. CANCELLED! 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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: Ben Bryden - Glasgow Dreamer - The Music of Ivor Cutler

Ben Bryden (tenor, harmonium), Reinier Baas (guitar, piano, harmonium), Mark Schilders (drums), Tom Berkmann (bass).
(Review by Steve T)
According to the notes this is Indie Jazz and I may have been better prepared had I read it first and may not be the ideal person to review it.
The instrumentation is largely sax, guitar, bass and drums which several sources have told me is the new frontline of choice instead of trumpet and sax, which may be bad news for trumpeters and pianists. I personally think the sax and guitar play well off each other and I like the space created as the guitar switches from comping to soloing. 
The first couple of tracks put this to good use with strong melodies and the leader has a distinctive tone reminding me of someone but I can't think who, so if anyone hears it and has any ideas, please help me out.
For the most part the indie comes from the guitarist who adopts a jingly jangly sound favoured by mid-sixties beat groups before Clapton and Hendrix changed everything, and was revived post punk-rock while musicianship was still scorned which has mercifully receded in recent years.
No question of his ability, though his runs occasionally seem predictable, but the sound actually works very well.
On track three The Meadows Go we get the indie style as well as the sound and this is where the problem starts for me. I don't have a problem with fusion and believe all music is fusion at some level. Nor do I necessarily have a problem where the respective musics seem incompatible or even contradictory. Nevertheless, this didn't work for me, not least because I believe indie bands are more interested in creating media myths by constructing a perception of difference from other pop groups deemed less 'authentic'.
The next few tracks continue as before but the introduction of a harmonium, sounding like an accordion, on track eight 74 to Dumfries left me somewhat bewildered.
Apart from the two tracks, there's some good Jazz on offer and anybody into indie, Britpop, punk-rock or even sixties guitar groups may find it of interest, but it's not for me.
Steve T.
Glasgow Dreamer - The Music of Ivor Cutler - samples/buy.

No comments :

Blog Archive