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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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

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.

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

Thursday, August 31, 2017

CD Review: Leo Richardson Quartet - The Chase

Leo Richardson (tenor); Rick Simpson (piano); Mark Lewandowski (bass); Ed Richardson (drums) + Quintin Collins trumpet on 3 tracks) ; Alan Skidmore (tenor on 1 track).
(Review by Lance).
Still early days but, when I heard this album my immediate thought was that all bets are off regarding the CD of the Year. I double checked - had I put on a Dexter Gordon CD by mistake? No this wasn't the great Dex - none of those amusing quotes that gradually become annoying!
Nothing to annoy here. Just pleasure of the kind that Dexter gave in between the quotes. Leo is the most exciting tenor saxist that I've heard since Simon Spillett arrived on the scene. This is hard bop Blue Note as it was when I were a lad. Think Jazz Messengers and, if you were on Tyneside in the early '60s, the Emcee Five.
Then imagine them having absorbed some of the contemporary sounds along the way and you're getting close. Close, but no cigar. The Leo Richardson Quartet, augmented by Quintin Collins (3 tracks) and Alan Skidmore (1) owe direct allegiance to no one and indirect allegiance to everyone recorded by Rudy Van Gelder.
Wow! I just don't know where to begin.
Blues For Joe, Joe being Joe Henderson is a natural for Leo blowing, as he does, with the same intensity as the late master and driven on by Ed Richardson (kinfolk?).
Demon E. Collins brings some Lee Morgan to the table and the two horns ensure that 'Blakey Lives'.
The Curve. A blues with a bridge - maybe that's the curve that's been thrown. It doesn't phase them. Still in quintet form, it's another belter. Reminds me of Sidewinder.
The Chase, needless to say, has stunning tenor and trumpet solos but it's Rick and Ed who lay claim to the cigars with Mark providing the lighter fuel.
Elisha's Song is a sumptuous ballad. Romantic but not cloying. Whoever Elisha is she must surely be overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from the tenor saxophone as well as a shorter but equally sincere display of devotion from the piano.
Mambo has but a tenuous relationship to the South American dance and nobody shouts 'ooh'! This doesn't stop it swinging!
Silver Lining; a tribute to Horace Silver that continues to lay down the groove before Alan Skidmore enters the warzone and the frontline advance under Mr. Skid who sets it well and truly alight. But, you ain't heard nuttin' yet ...
I've kept the good news till last.
The Leo Richardson Quartet are booked to play Darlington's Opus 4 Club (Travellers Rest, 2 West Auckland Rd., Cockerton, Darlington DL3 9ER.) on Friday, December 1.
Album available October 6, launch October 11 at The Spice of Life (ah memories!) Soho.
Check it out here.
Lance.

1 comment :

Russell said...

Leo played tenor in Matt Roberts Sextet at the Darlington Jazz Festival 2016 and 2017. An amazing player who generated feverish excitement. Opus 4 Dec. 1, be there.

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