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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

Sunday, November 13, 2016

CD Review: Rallidae – Turned, And Was

Angela Morris (tenor sax, vocals, composer, lyrics); Alex Samaras (lead vocals); Dustin Carlson (guitar, vocals); Scott Colberg  (bass, vocals); Nico Dann (drums, vocals). 
(Review by Ann Alex).
Following on from their EP Paper Birds, I’m pleased to review Rallidae’s full-length CD, entitled Turned And Was. I loved this recording too, which the band describes as ‘kaleidoscopic’, with ‘effects in turn sweet and unsettling’. Listen out for improvisational jazz, hints of ambiance, African keyboard riffs, wispy noises, New Orleans funeral music, plain chant, musical box sounds, and even singing which reminded me of the wonderful dissonance in many of the songs from The Incredible String Band (remember them from the hippy 1960’s?).

The music will appeal to lovers of improvisational jazz especially, and to all listeners with a wide accepting taste in music. For example, I loved the track Awake, which portrays a state of mind when you cannot sleep but are only half awake.  Tiny bell-like sounds accompany the repeated words ‘the things I wish you’d say are keeping me awake’ with snatches of the words from other voices, and the bass played slowly, ending in a final long tone, when perhaps he did fall asleep at last.
Now I Walk In Beauty has the voices singing a canon with an early music madrigal-like feel, concluding with bell- like music and a drone. The tracks don’t feature the usual jazz solos that we’re used to but there is fine playing from everyone. The other tracks, which I’d describe as a life enhancing style of music, include Drumheller (African piano sound); Take My hand Off The Wheel ( the most jazzy track, with a definite swing, to start with, anyway); Bird (including skilled tenor sax); Compass (new Orleans funeral music with a few quirks); Long Picture (good guitar solo); Sea Ice (clever depiction of coldness with high pitched tones); Still Breathing (builds to a climax, then quietly rounds off the CD well).
Angela Morris wrote all the music and lyrics, and the whole band was involved in the improvisations. Her music has been described as being between avant-jazz and pop. Ms Morris studied composition and is involved in other projects, including co-leading a 17 piece big band.  A lady of very varied talents.
The recording is available as a CD from November 18 and also as a digital download from NYC based Gold Bolus Recordings.

Ann Alex

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