Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18918 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 782 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 18.) 61.

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

September.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Tue 22: ???

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A John Coltrane Centenary Concert (b. 23. 09. 1926). SOLD OUT!
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 24: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 24: Arun Ghosh @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £21.05. (£22.00. on the door). A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 24: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 25: Mark Williams Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Get the Blessing + Dilettante @ The Cluny (Cluny 2), Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00. + bf. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 25: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 26: Adam Fairhall & Johnny Hunter: Play Mary Lou Williams @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 26: John Pope Quintet + Urvashi @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.40. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Sun 27: Salty Dog @ The Cluny. 12:30pm (doors). Free (donations).
Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Zach Sewell-Lara Hopper Quintet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. Ruth Lambert (vocals); Giles Strong (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Sun 27: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Alex Hitchcock Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Monday, August 07, 2017

CD Review: Introducing Gabriel Latchin Trio

Gabriel Latchin (piano); Tom Farmer (bass); Josh Morrison (drums).
(Review by Lance).
They knew what they [Alys Jazz] were doing when they sent me this magic circle. From the opening measure, I was spellbound. A first call sideman, Latchin decided, in his own words, that it was time for him to step out of the shadows. After this debut, 120mm diameter piece of artistry, it's surely goodbye shadows.
A ravishing mix of originals and standards shows the Guildhall graduate to be as dexterous as any of today's piano-men and quite a few of yesterday's too. But it's not just the spectacular dashes around the 88s that slay me, it's also the choice of chords. Big fat juicy ones like we used to associate with Shearing, Peterson, Nat Cole, Garner, and Bud Powell. Latchin's harmonic scope is on a par with those worthys and no doubt many others who have influenced him along the way. Cedar Walton was one of those and Latchin pays tribute saying he should have retitled If I Only Had a Brain to If I Only Had Cedar's Brain! He's doing pretty damn good with the brain he's got thank you very much!
Apart from Brain, the other standards are: It Had to be You; Lover Man; Lush Life; Stompin' at the Savoy; Easy to Love and Can't we be Friends. All impeccably played and please don't read impeccably as an alternative to clinically which is what they certainly ain't!
On top of the standards are the originals. Carlora is dedicated to his parents and is a combination of places where they have lived - Carlisle, and Dora in Baghdad - Phineas Newborn provided the inspiration. Off the Latch, a bebop blast on Slow Boat to China changes. 
Trane Hopping came out of a Guildhall assignment to write a blues. 
Blues For Billy is a 3/4 tribute to Billy Higgins and Morrison handles this pressure-laden role well.
Holding it all together, as well as producing some beautifully round-toned solos, is Farmer; an in-demand bass player and, on the evidence here, justifiably so.
Released next month [Alys Jazz AJ1501] with a launch event at Pizza on Sept. 18. The trio also play gigs in Hove (14); Luton (16); Maidenhead (17) and Bristol (21).
Sadly neither Newcastle (or Clitheroe) make the short list.
Lance.

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