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: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Paul Grainger (double bass).
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.

Friday, August 12, 2016

CD Review: Euan Stevenson & Konrad Wiszniewski – New Focus On Song

(Review by Russell).
New Focus is an ongoing collaboration between pianist Euan Stevenson and fellow Scot, saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski. On Song is their second album on Michael Janisch’s Whirlwind Recordings label. The majority of the thirteen tracks were composed by Euan Stevenson, the format similar to New Focus’ first CD, incorporating jazz quartet, string quartet and harp.

Air in D Minor would suggest classical connotations. This is the opening to the album. A brace of folk-inspired numbers follow – Green Park and Destination Unknown – making it abundantly clear this isn’t a straight ahead jazz album. No one said it was. It is what it is. The strings are members of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Sophia’s Song is an amalgam of Wiszniewski blowing, the strings attempting a riff and Alyn Cosker’s superb ‘big band’ drumming.
Stevenson has sought to incorporate disparate elements; French impressionism and Celtic folk melodies, small group jazz and solo piano episodes. The jazz ear was taken by Corea Change; scorching jazz quartet (think Tubby Hayes or Johnny Griffin), Cosker in Buddy Rich mode, Stevenson’s dazzling jazz piano. The strings enter late on and give as good as they get. This is the ‘jazz’ of the album. There is more jazz on Fourths Ostinato. Cosker is once again at the centre of things with an outstanding, high-octane workout as Konrad Wiszniewski’s soprano tirade scales the heights.  
Jazz and strings, jazz with strings or music with strings. From a jazz perspective, On Song is an album for those with a penchant for a ‘jazz plus’ offering.      
New Focus On Song on Whirlwind Recordings (WR4690) is released on August 19. The album launch, as part of the Edinburgh Fringe, is at the Jazz Bar on August 20.            
Russell.

Euan Stevenson (piano), Konrad Wiszniewski (tenor & soprano saxophones, clarinet, low D whistle), Andrew Robb (double bass), Alyn Cosker (drums & percussion);  the Glasgow String Quartet: William Chandler (violin), Lorna Rough (violin), Ian Budd (viola), Betsy Taylor (cello); Nicola Wiszniewski (flute) & Alina Bzhezhinska (harp)
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