Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

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

Sunday, October 09, 2016

CD Review: Kayle Brecher - This Is Life

(Review by Ann Alex).
There isn’t much biographical information included with this CD, except to say that the musicians have various music qualifications, eg  Sutin has a degree from the Manhattan School of Music, and the high standard of playing is obvious to the listener anyway. The basic idea of the disc was to convey a sense of intimacy, with a mixture of original songs, standards, and what are labelled as ‘re-envisioning’ of numbers such as Freddie Hubbard’s Red Clay’ (Brecher has added lyrics); Herbie Hancock’s Dolphin Dance (this has become Sea Of Dolphins with lyrics added); and a scatted arrangement of Egberto Gismonti’s Moon Dreams. 
I enjoyed especially hearing the harp as a jazz instrument, trilling out jazz sounds wonderfully, and I mean the harp with strings, as in Wales, not another name for the mouthorgan. Brecher’s  voice is fine, with a ‘cute ‘ sound for lighter pieces and more depth when serious, and she gives lots of space in which the instruments can do their stuff.
However, I had mixed feelings about the disc as a whole, as much of the material has been improvised and it has gone a bit too far out for my taste. The voice and the band seemed to be at odds sometimes, eg Back To The Red Clay sounds ‘messy’ at the beginning, with too much scat, too few meaningful lyrics, then a rock feel which didn’t seem to fit, and the piece was a bit too long.  In fact on some of the tracks, I’d have preferred no singing at all as the instruments conveyed the music well without any additions. 
On the track Life Is Just Rhythm, for voice and drums only, there simply wasn’t enough actual rhythm and the lyrics were too complex to be effective as a song. Some tracks were better, such as the exciting Not Alone (good harp, guitar solo, ‘cute’ vocal quality) and Wild Child (wildish music, random sounding, voice used as an instrument with call and response with the other instruments). The titles of the rest of the tracks were: African Dream; Torch To Hand; and The Gift.
The CD is currently available on Penchant Four Records
Ann Alex.
Kayle Brecher (vocals); Ratzo Harris (bass); Frank Butrey (guitar); Grant Calvin Weston (drums); Brandee A Younger (harp); Gloria Galante (harp on other tracks); Benjamin Sutin (violin); Dave Dzubinski (piano); Matt Cappy (trumpet) Not all instruments play on all tracks.

No comments :

Blog Archive