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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

Saturday, January 28, 2017

CD Review: The Baylor Project - The Journey

(Review by Ann Alex)
I have struck lucky with the last 2 CDs I’ve reviewed as they’ve both been full of lively, interesting tracks, with unusual song choices and arrangements, not a moment’s boredom. This debut CD was the idea of husband and wife Jean and Marcus Baylor, who are both the offspring of pastors, so have musical roots in the American church, with influences of gospel, blues, soul and jazz. Marcus is a world-class drummer and Jean has a clear mezzo-soprano voice, with a pure tone and flexible timing. The aim of this innovative, collaborative project was to create spiritual, buoyant feel-good music. There are original songs, jazz standards, soul influenced tracks, and even a hymn.
Track 1 Block Party, An original from the Baylors, handclaps,  organ fragments, gospel snatches, a trumpet, all go to convey the sound of a party, mostly soul music in fragments with voices chatting, singing, then a drum solo and more party sounds. Very evocative.
Track 2 Great Is Thy Faithfulness A hymn sung as jazz to sax, piano and drums, with some effective scat and short solos. Very striking
Track 3 Tell Me A Story A Herbie Hancock number with lyrics by Jean Baylor, double tracked voices to piano and percussion
Track 4 Tenderly  A ballad, sung freely with feeling,  with sax and bass solos.
Track 5 Our Love Is Here To Stay Unusual timing, strong low chords on piano, then just voice and bass, then the singer plays with the words before the music fades out.
Track 6 Again A Baylor original, a love song of hope, with the full treatment from a larger ensemble with strings, which concludes with a general musical mash-up.
Track 7 Summertime WARNING TO LANCE, although this is a pleasing, relaxed Latin version with freely sung vocals to piano and percussion.
Track 8 Voice Of The Drum (interlude) A short piece written by the Baylors and numerous other members of the project, a slow drum solo which flows neatly into ...
Track 9 Afro Blue (Dream) Guitar then voice in a dream-like song, then a mash-up with voice and handclaps.
Track 10 Laugh And Move On Another Baylor original, a double-tracked vocal, soul number with lyrics about how to deal with disappointment, and organ and piano accompaniment
Track 11 Journey A Baylor original with drums, voices in harmony, and snatches of spoken dialogue which I found difficult to make out, but it was good to listen to and I think the words were about hope.
The CD is released on February 10, 2017, catalog number BAL001, UPC Code 888295520898
Ann Alex.
(Collective personnel); Jean Baylor (all vocals, handclaps); Marcus Baylor (all drums, handclaps); Shedrick Mitchell (piano, organ); Allyn Johnson (piano); David ‘DJ’ Ginyard (electric bass); Dezron Douglas, Chris Smith, Corcoran Holt (upright bass); Marvin Sewell (guitar); Rayfield ‘Ray Ray’ Holloman (pedal steel & electric guitars);Bob Mintzer, Keith Loftis (ten sax); Freddie Hendrix (trumpet, flugelhorn); Keyon Harrold (trumpet); Stafford Hunter (trombone); Aaron Draper, Pablo Batista (perc, handclaps); Nicole Neely (live strings & arrangement, track 6); Brandee Younger (harp)

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