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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ 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: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
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: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

Sat 26: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 26: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Elvet Methodist Church, Durham. 7:30pm. Tickets: £12.00. + bf. Duo performance.
Sat 26: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.50.
Sat 26: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

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

Monday, September 11, 2017

The Ushaw Ensemble: St Cuthbert’s Suite and The Sound of Achill @ The Gala Studio, Durham - August 25


(Review by Brian Ebbatson)
The Ushaw Ensemble was put together by Musical Director Paul Edis to perform Paul’s St Cuthbert Suite on the occasion of St Cuthbert’s Day 2016 at Ushaw College and in the Chapel in Durham Cathedral. This was - to my knowledge - only its third public performance.
Paul was somewhat nervous as to how the Durham Gala Lunchtime concert audience would respond to longer compositions, requiring more engagement. However, his two pieces were received with the warmth and appreciation now customary at these concerts. Many in particularly commented on the depth and inventive narrative of the music, as well as its interpretation by the band.
The suite - in two parts - follows the life of Cuthbert in Melrose, Richmond, Lindisfarne and the Farne Islands, his death and subsequent canonisation, Viking raids, and the flight and wanderings of the Lindisfarne monks with his coffin, their Gospel and other treasured possessions to their ultimate refuge on the peninsula in Durham. Paul’s programme notes guided the audience through the suite and were important to the understanding and appreciation of the musical narrative and exposition.

The instrumentalists assembled through the Ensemble allow the work to feature a wide sound palette, exploring the different tones and textures offered both by conventional jazz instrumentation as well as that from Northumbrian folk traditions, while the composition reflects the moods and emotional impact of composers such as Debussy and Ravel, Ellington and Messiaen. All instruments contribute both to the ensemble work as well as featuring in solos. The combination of violin and reeds is familiar to jazz composition, and pipes and violin to folk music, but the combination of pipes, violin and brass (not to mention flute and bass clarinet) produce new and exciting ensemble sounds which merit further exposure.

The Suite opens on violin with St Cuthbert’s Theme, which is developed and returned to throughout the work. Andy’s pipes feature first on A Shepherd from Melrose, backed by trumpet, sax and piano. They are joined in impressionistic lines by Emma’s violin for Cuthbert’s Vision, with harmonies from the other players. Trumpet and pipes, piano and sax all feature on The Indefatigable Evangelist, which concludes with an abrupt stop, after which the musicians move straight into Solitude, a reflective piece depicting the saint’s later hermit life on Lindisfarne and the Farne Islands. Paul Susan’s pizzicato double bass introduces the melody, which is then picked up by Graeme’s bass clarinet, another beautiful tonal combination, followed by a carefully constructed solo by Graham on flugel. Then flugel and sax develop the thematic lines, with Emma concluding Part I as she began it on violin.

Rob’s muffled percussion creates the setting for Many Miracles, opening Part II. Pipes, sax, trumpet and violin develop the musical narrative against Rob’s compelling percussion. Emma’s violin introduces The Death of Cuthbert on an exquisite high note, with accompanying harmonies from the front-line players. In contrast, The Vikings is a more explosive and at times violent piece. Paul Susan’s slow dark bowed bass line foreshadows the ensuing tumult, strident trumpet notes and piano chords build the tension, the drums crash as the ominous mood builds. The bass, now plucked at pace, leads in to the onslaught, the percussion clashes wildly, Graeme’s tenor improvises screeching lines up, down and across the scales, Rob’s lengthy drum solo reaches a rolling climax and the music fades back to the bowed bass as the fighting concludes.

Paul’s piano sets out in 7/8 time for Seven Years Wandering as the monks flee Lindisfarne with Cuthbert’s coffin, Graeme solos on tenor, followed by Paul on piano, Emma’s violin, Graeme’s flute, Paul Susan’s bowed bass and Rob’s cymbal crash. The Wonder Worker of England restates the opening Cuthbert’s Theme, featuring tight ensemble playing, and the suite concludes with Dunholme, in which the musicians improvise around the sounds of birdsong on the banks of the Wear. The pipes close the suite with a final lament.

The Sound of Achill is a new piece, approximately ten minutes long, so the audience was treated to a World Premiere! It seeks to depict both the serenity and the wildness experienced on Ireland’s Atlantic coast.  Again the pipes play the introductory theme, backed by trumpet, sax, and violin. Then piano, accompanied by pizzicato violin, lead to sax and trumpet weaving patterns around the theme. Paul’s piano introduces a pipes solo, bass and drums in support. Rob changes the rhythm and Paul stretches out on a long solo, building intensity to lead to Rob’s final drums – no serenity here. The piece concludes with bass and pizzicato violin again, and brass and pipes bringing the piece to close.
This ensemble and these compositions certainly deserve more exposure, either through performance or recording, particularly as the repertoire expands. Perhaps we can only then gain and give a full appreciation of their music. Hopefully the logistics of getting the musicians together and the finances will not overly restrict the opportunities.
Brian 
Paul Edis (MD/composer/piano); Graeme Wilson (saxes/bass clarinet, flute); Graham Hardy (trumpet/flugel); Emma Fisk (violin); Andy May (Northumbrian pipes); Rob Walker (drums/percussion); Paus Susans (double bass).

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