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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

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, July 29, 2017

CD Review: Peter Jones - Under the Setting Sun.

Peter Jones (vocal); Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor/flute); Anthony Kerr (vibes); Neil Angilley (piano); Andy Hamill (bass/harmonica); Davide Giannimi (drums).
(Review by Lance). 
Peter Jones wears many hats, not least as an occasional contributor to these pages. His reviews from various London gigs help to make our presence known in the capital. He's also the author of what promises to be the definitive biography of Mark Murphy (out April 2018)* and, as this album shows, a first class singer/composer/lyricist.
Oh and, by the way, in case anyone thinks this review is of the 'jobs for the boys' variety we enthused over his previous album** long before we knew him!
Island Honey, set to an infectious cha-cha beat, the number was inspired by a small island off Brazil where he once holidayed. I'm not sure if the honey is a local lady or a reference to the luscious flute solo by that Greek God - Vasy.
Doggerland: Somewhat improbably set at the end of the last ice age circa 6,500 BC when sea levels were rising but England and the continent of Europe were still one. It's a poignant tale of love, heartbreak and hope that could easily be related to today. The emotion in Jones' voice touches the listener's inner soul and Angilley adds to the mood.
Baby and Hog refers to Baby Laurence and Ground Hog who'd dance for the queues outside Minton's to fund their H habit. More Vasy flute, Kerr vibes and Angilly piano to make you want to dance (in 7/4 time).
If Not Now, When? A lover pleads for the object of his affection to stop stalling. Vasy blows booting tenor, there are some nice piano and vibes in there too to strengthen the wooer’s case.
A Voice That’s Low, a Voice That’s Sweet has some more romantic moments. A hint of Curtis Stigers in the vocal.
1969 is in a dark mode with Hamill on harmonica and some soul-searching tenor. I’m not sure of the relevance of the title. Was 1969 such a bad year? The Beatles released Abbey Rd., Richard Nixon became president, Miles released Bitches Brew and Newcastle United won the Fairs Cup.
Every Day I Hear More Bad News is even darker with Vasy and vibesman Kerr trying hard to allow the sun to shine through the clouds. A snipe at the media which also tells us that love is the panacea for bad news.
Remember Summer: flute, piano and vocal fight the gloom of winter.
Paper Boat; Another reflective song – lost love emotively told by Jones.
Your Secrets: A waltz with three part vocal harmony (Has Jones triple dubbed?). Great tenor and piano solos.
Reunion: Memories of an old love rekindled.
Jones says that his aim was to create something that people might want to chill out to at 2am.
In that, he succeeds brilliantly – the wee small hours of today no less.
The downside, of course, is that not everyone does their listening at 2am…
Lance.
Release date for Peter Jones - Under the Setting Sun is August 25. Howlin' Werewolf - HW003
Album launch is on August 26 at Jazz Café Posk, London.
* This Is Hip: The Life of Mark Murphy (Equinox Publishing - April 2018).

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