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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

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

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Book Review: Dear Reflection: I Never Meant To Be A Rebel - Jessica Bell

(Review by Ann Alex)
Ms Bell, an Australian woman who lives in Athens, is an award-winning author, poet, creative writing teacher, graphic designer, singer, songwriter, and musician. She also co-founded Vine Leaves Press and she writes for various language teaching publishers. She is the daughter of Erika Bach, who with her partner Demetri Vlass, founded two of Melbourne’s iconic indie bands, Ape The Cry and Hard Candy.
The book is a memoir about Jessica’s childhood and youth, an interesting account of growing up with two talented adults who were heavily into their music, who encouraged Jessica in her own creativity and yet sometimes neglected her when following their careers. We read about her mother’s constant problems caused by being addicted to prescription drugs which gave rise to fits of anger and depression, and the effect this had on Jessica and Demetri. We learn about Jessica’s troubled adolescence, during which she tried all sorts of stimulants and lifestyles, experienced abusive relationships with men, and gave out some abuse herself. Without giving too much of the story away, things more or less come right in the end for both Jessica and her Mother, and Jessica becomes the successful woman described in the first paragraph.
 The book is saved from being just another misery memoir (a popular genre these days) by being skilfully written. For example, describing nerves felt before performing in a show, out author says tellingly ‘Butterflies head-butted the lining of my stomach.’ Jessica regularly has conversations about her situation with her mirror, which is both friend and enemy, as she imagines it is pointing out her faults and occasionally suggesting solutions. A note at the beginning of the work explains the methods of writing which are sound, for example, the writer has tried hard to be as accurate as possible but to avoid long-windedness she has sometimes combined three friends into one person to give the essence of what someone was like. I certainly believed the account that she provided of her life. And she does something which I wish all so-called celebrities would do when writing about their lives – she has the good sense to disguise the identity of all those she mentions, including even her husband, except for the names of her parents, who agreed to be identified.

So this tale is one of triumph against heavy odds, full of interest despite the reading being occasionally hard to take because of the problems described. And there is an added bonus – the music!  It’s not jazz but I loved it, so if your taste is for post punk indie bands, listen to Jessica’s parents in their youth by Googling  Ape The Cry and Hard Candy.( And ladies, Demetri Vlass is really dishy in the video) To hear samples of our author’s current band (electronic  indie pop/rock) go to www.keepshellyinathens.com 
The book was published on June 6. See www.jessicabellauthor.com
Ann Alex

2 comments :

Jessica Bell said...

Wow! Thank you so much for this fabulous review. So pleased you enjoyed my book. All the best to you!

Anonymous said...

Jessica, from Ann, You're very welcome. And I also loved your website, very inviting, and the Keep Shelly In Athens music is intriguingly good.

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