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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Guests: Jeremy McMurray (piano); Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Mark Toomey (alto sax); Mark Hawkins (drums); Adrian Beadnell (bass).

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

Sat 03: Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Summer Samba Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 03: Struggle Buggy @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 03: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Postmodern Jukebox @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:30pm. Free.

Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 04: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 04: Boys of Brass @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Ben Crosland Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 06: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £14.00. Tel: 0191 237 3697. ‘Victory in Europe Afternoon Tea’ (VE Day 80th anniversary).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: FILM: Whiplash @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 8:15pm.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ 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. 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

Tuesday, November 08, 2016

CD Reviews: Michael Formanek Ensemble Kolossus - The Distance. Jakob Bro Trio - Streams.

Michael Formanek (bass), Thomas Fujiwara (drums), Mary Halvorson (guitar), Kris Davis (piano), Patricia Brennan (marimba), Mark Helias (conductor).
Brass - David Ballou, Ralph Alessi, Shane Endsley, Kirk Knuffka, Alan Ferber, Jacob Garchik, Ben Gerstein, Jeff Nelson.
Reeds - Loren Stillman, Oscar Noriega, Chris Speed, Brian Settles, Tim Berne.
(Review by Steve T).
Reviewing ECM CDs is a bit like the American election - even this one; or for that matter a British election, though that may be changing. 40% of readers will have both of them already and another 40% wouldn't have either in the house.
I'm one of the undecideds - the Lib Dems, the independents - with a love-hate relationship with the label.

The Distance works as an entire album so singling out specific tracks is irrelevant. It starts slowly and sounds very much classical, but with light drums and compelling bass playing which runs throughout the album, and it was only after the first play I found out the band takes the bass players name.
Gradually it transforms into something more akin to the Miles/Gil Evans collaborations from the late fifties, with which it shares its holistic qualities.
The 'boring' bits are there to make the great bits even greater and you lose so much if you pull out Summertime or It Ain't Necessarily So out of Porgy and Bess.
In fact this album may well have been made for me as the Zappa influence comes through louder and clearer as it progresses, though solely in Strictly Genteel mode.
Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Alan Ferber on trombone and Mary Halvorson on guitar deserve mention for particularly striking solos.

Jakob Bro (guitar), Thomas Morgan (double bass), Joey Baron (drums).
This is the type of stuff critics of the label point at, myself included. A famous musician visiting the North East compared ECM to walking in the mountains above the fjords in Norway and this album is certainly from the very low key end of things. I know many people like this and indeed, this is the very quality that they look for from the label, pointing out that it's always done terribly tastefully.
Track four, Full Moon Europais the only track which produces any real fireworks but, like John Abercrombie’s bass trio stuff on the label, this is in no small part due to some inventive swirling drumming, though the guitar also has a rockier edge.
For the undecided needing a nudge, my vote goes The Distance.
Steve T.

2 comments :

Hugh said...

So, Formanek trumps Bro!

(I'll get my coat)

Steve T said...

BumBum.

Turns out I saw Bro in Cheltenham with Lee Konitz and Dave Douglas a couple of years back. Having seen Konitz eighteen months earlier, he'd really lost the plot and the gig was a mess.
I t was billed as a super-group and the Asian lady on the bass was terrific though she looked terrified (they were about to take it on tour), but Dave Douglas, in mischievous Bob Downey Junior mode, spotted a free run and dazzled.
I remember the guitarist played a telecaster, apparently the preferred solid body guitar for Jazz.

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