Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

From This Moment On

August

Thu 13: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 13: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 27.
Thu 13: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

CD Review: John Abercrombie Quartet – Up and Coming

(Review by Hugh C)
John Abercrombie – guitar; Marc Copland – piano; Drew Gress – double bass; Joey  Baron – drums.
Up and Coming is the second album by the quartet.  Abercrombie, Gress and Baron have had a long association, Marc Copland joined the three for their first quartet recording in 2013. 
The first four tracks Joy – Flipside – Sunday School – Up and Coming are all by Abercrombie.  The album as a whole has a laid-back, free-flowing groove engendered by Abercrombie's relaxed guitar style.  By his own admission “I play less fast than I used to, less 'technical'”.  His partners respond to this with a gentle exploration of the quieter aspects of their respective instruments.  

Marc Copland contributed the next two tracks, Tears and Silver Circle which, according to Abercrombie “reflect his [Copland's] more classically oriented,  polychordal compositional style”.  A take on the Miles Davis composition Nardis follows, done in the spirit of Bill Evans.  Another Abercrombie composition, Jumbles, completes the set.
Up and Coming, recorded at Avatar Studios, New York is released in the UK both as CD and (for Steve T) vinyl.  The quartet will be touring the US and mainland Europe over the next few months, but have no dates in the UK.
Hugh C.

Released on ECM:  CD 6025 5723377 3; LP 6025 5726238 4

1 comment :

Steve T said...

Yea I wish ECM would stop; I wish they' all stop, it'll prove so harmful in the long (medium) run.

Number 1 son got a master-class from him before Christmas and I believe he has something which prohibits him playing like he used to.
Didn't do Django any harm.

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