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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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:15pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall, Stocksfield. 1:30pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm.
Sat 24: Dean Stockdale Quartet + Mingus Sings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums) + Mingus Sings: Sara Oschlag (vocals); Alan Barnes (reeds); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Arnie Somogyi (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sat 24: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 24: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sat 24: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 24: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 25: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: Bandstand Sessions @ The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free. A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Spanish City Plaza (outdoor stage). 1:00pm. Free. A Whitley Bay Carnival event.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Bourne (harp), Francis Tulip (guitar), James Owston (double bass), Joe Bainbridge (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Struggle Buggy @ The Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 25: Joe Steels Group + Norma Winstone (vocals); Nikki Iles (piano); Mike Walker (guitar); Steve Watts (double bass). 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Steels (guitar); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Susans (double bass); John Hirst (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 25: Xhosa Cole/Neil Charles/Mark Sanders @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A JNE promotion. Note: Xhosa Cole replaces Nicole Mitchell.

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 22, 2016

David Murray, Terri Lyne Carrington, Geri Allen @ Cadogan Hall, EFG London Jazz Festival - November 19 - 19th Nov.

David Murray (tenor, bass clarinet), Geri Allen (piano), Terri Lyne Carrington (drums).
(Review by Steve T)
This was the big Jazz night. Kandace was as much soul, Blood was as much funk and Billy Bell was all about the soul. The second Saturday promised two premier league female Jazz artists and a pair of tenor titans.
The last time I saw these two ladies they were with a third; one Esperanza Spalding who caused a veritable tsunami with a vocal performance fifty minutes in and turned up at Sage Gateshead with Jack Dejohnette and Joe Lovano a few months later.
This time out they were joined by saxophone colossus (is this title transferable?) David Murray.
The absence of bass is a central premise of the group, but a recent interview with Murray didn't really illuminate whether the three would fulfil the function on their respective instruments or whether the absence itself becomes a stylistic feature.
Most of the set was pulled from their recent album Perfectionand while it's a perfectly good album, the absence of bass, at best makes no difference and at worst, doesn't work. Indeed, the strongest track is Ornette’s Perfection where they're joined by other musicians, including Charnett Moffett on bass.
Murray was dominant from the off, encompassing the entire history of his instrument but remaining distinctly now: powerful, inventive, sensitive and soulful with flawless technique.
Terri Lyne Carrington didn't initially spread much TLC around her kit, proving herself a powerhouse player across her expansive setup, making her the heir to Billy Cobham, though she hasn't earned her second bass drum yet. However, as it went on, she revealed a lighter touch and a varied palette of percussion instruments during quieter moments.  
The bass was mostly missed when the piano was out, though Geri is a pianist who can and does play everything, and the rapport between the two ladies was evident. It may be contentious (moi?) to suggest the piano doesn't do it like a Hammond does.
Amongst the finer moments were the exchanges between sax and drums - Murray signalling Gerri when to drop out - but were enhanced exponentially by the jouissance accompanying the return of the piano.
Overall it was very free with abrupt endings, motifs unresolved and a general un-fulfilment of themes, accompanied by the inevitable early departures from the audience, though the majority seemed appreciative to be part of it.
Murray switched to bass clarinet, popping notes out on Father Peter O’brienthe most structured and traditional  of the set which Gerri Allen hoped would capture the joyfulness of the man she wrote it for. 
As great as Carrington is, we didn't need two drum solos but I'm knit-picking. A great performance from three premier practitioners of their generation on the cusp of becoming elder statespersons. It didn't particularly miss the bass but didn't benefit from its absence either.
Geri did most of the announcements with the others chipping in, the set featuring originals from each of them. It was recorded and will be on BBC radio on 28th.

Support came from Nerija, a seven piece, all-female band featuring guitar,bass, drums, bone, alto, tenor and trumpet. Jazz, hi-life and Afro-beat - add funk, reggae and soca/ calypso with some Spanish sounds. One to watch.
Steve T.

4 comments :

Anonymous said...

OMG!! The guitarist in Nérija is Shirley Tetteh. Nothing male about her! Despite the short hair and lack of make up. They are a seven piece female collective out of the well known educational set up of Tomorrows Warriors. Please amend pronto!

Lance said...

Amended pronto and with apologies. Our reviewer is on his way to Specsavers as we speak.

Anonymous said...

Great! Apology accepted.

Steve T said...

Specsavers don't do it for me anymore. I've been advised to go to proper opticians from now on and was there on Friday morning though the glasses haven't arrived yet.
I thought she was a bit good.
Apologies.

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