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

18878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 742 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 4.) 21.

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.

Fri 11: Esther Bennett @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £10.00. Esther Bennett (vocals); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass).
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: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £14.09 (inc. bf).

Sat 12: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 12: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26 (inc. bf).

Sun 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: King Bees @ Shape Patisserie, Darlington. 3:00pm. Free. Duo (Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor). A Rhythm & Blues Fringe event. Blues excellence.
Sun 13: Alligator Gumbo @ The Cluny. 5:00pm. £17.15.; £11.43; £5.72.
Sun 13: Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).

Friday, September 22, 2017

Courtney Pine: Black Notes from the Deep @ Sage Gateshead - September 21

Courtney Pine (tenor saxophone, bass flute & EWI), Robert Mitchell (piano & organ), Vidal Montgomery (double bass), Robert Fordjour (drums) & Omar (vocals)
(Review by Russell)
Courtney Pine made the journey north ahead of the release of his new album. Sage Gateshead’s jazz and soul fans turned out to hear what he and Omar have been getting up to in the studio.The former Jazz Warrior is currently playing tenor saxophone for the first time in ten years. Would this re-engage some of his long-time fans who were, perhaps, growing tired of his preoccupation with bass clarinet? A half hour delay to the advertised start time encouraged ticket holders to hang in the bar and have another one.
Sage Two’s stage stood ready and waiting; Steinway grand and Korg CX-3 organ to our left, drum kit to the right, centre stage the province of Courtney and Omar. Members of the band walked out onto the stage one at a time. First, pianist Robert Mitchell, acknowledging the applause, drummer Robert Fordjour followed, then bassist Vidal Montgomery. A short pause then Courtney makes his entrance to a hero’s welcome. The ‘on the money’ band hit a groove from the get go. Omar joined the party and, for the most part, remained on stage throughout. Courtney switched between tenor, bass flute and EWI. Omar’s 24-carat vocals confirmed the man as a star – ‘soul’, ‘neo-soul’, name the genre, Omar’s got it down, great voice, simple as. Darker than the Blues featured Omar and a bass flute-playing Courtney. De Ja Vu from Omar’s 2017 album Love in Beats found Courtney on EWI and your reviewer wanting to hear more of the soul voice. Jazz gig? Who cares? Omar’s big hit – There’s Nothing Like This – had the audience singing along. Great voice, a presence, what a treat to hear the man sing!   
Pine’s new album Black Notes from the Deep due to be released on October 27 addresses current issues. A Change is Gonna Come spoke volumes in the 1960s and continues to speak to us today. Pine knows it, so he played it. The rhythm section got the chance to play with all grabbing a solo at some point during the evening. The one set of seventy-five minutes came to an end all too soon. A now standing audience wanted more but they were gone. ’Til next time.                
Russell
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive