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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18018 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 339 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (May 7).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Gregory Porter + Jo Harrop @ Newcastle City Hall. 7:30pm. Support act: Jo Harrop!

Tue 13: ???

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Recital (stage 2): Leah Kirk (voice) @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 3:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 14: Jerron Paxton @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £24.20. Excellent country blues multi-instrumentalist.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. BACK IN BUSINESS, all welcome!

Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: The Greatest in Jazz - Guitarists.
Thu 15: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 15: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). John Garner & John Pope.

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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, December 14, 2017

CD Review: The Lindsay Hannon Plus - Make Dark Heaven Light

Lindsay Hannon (vocals), Mark Williams (guitar), John Pope (bass) & Russ Morgan (drums)
(Review by Russell) 
An intriguing running order of ten tracks – the first three compositions are by Lindsay Hannon and Mark Williams followed by four jazz standards then three numbers from contemporary composers. Happenstance? Unlikely, because band leaders are, or should be, meticulous in the presentation of their music to an audience. It would appear Hannon thought long and hard about this. Precisely why the tracks are in the order they are is altogether a different matter. Ask Hannon about it when you purchase a copy of the CD at the band’s next gig!  
Make Dark Heaven Light is Lindsay Hannon’s second album with her band the ‘Plus’. Forty-seven minutes of music created by four first-rate musicians, two of whom, Mark Williams, guitar and Russ Morgan, drums, are new recruits. Bassist John Pope, Hannon’s longtime bassist of choice, was a key figure on her debut album The Spy and makes an equally telling contribution to this recording. Hannon’s writing is observational, personal, and her interpretation of standard material is definitely distinctive, often taking liberties with the melody and succeeding in producing something that is her own.

Everyone opens the album with Hannon declaring monogamy is monotony, inviting you to pull up a chair and listen to what she has to say as the Plus effortlessly generate a lazy, swing time feel. The Hannon/Williams’ composition Maths begins with voice and guitar developing a subtle Latin rhythm which is in marked contrast to Hannon’s dark lower register vocals on Morning revisited dovetailing perfectly with Williams’ fluent, responsive lines.

The standards – Miss Otis regrets, No more blues, the John Dankworth/Cleo Laine Shakespearean album from the mid ’60s is reworked as The complete works, and The very thought of you – feature all four musicians. John Pope’s arco bass accompaniment to Hannon’s achingly beautiful vocals on Cole Porter draws in the listener as Russ Morgan introduces his trademark hand drumming. Jobim, then the Dankworth/Laine number hears more from bassist and drummer with Mark Williams hitting on a swing groove on Ray Noble’s timeless number.

The Shakespeare theme continues – it can’t be coincidence! – with present day songwriters taking centre stage in closing the album. Romeo and Juliet (comp. Mark Knopfler) then USA’s troubadour Tom Waits’ Romeo is bleeding, the latter featuring Hannon’s enviable vocal range as she spits out  the lyrics (almost literally!) and Williams’ gritty guitar lines, bring a darker hue to the album which is finally painted almost black with Robert Wyatt’s Sea song.

The recording of Make Dark Heaven Light at Newcastle’s Loft Studios benefits from Julien Batten’s attuned ear (mastered by Ross Lewis), and the album cover’s startling photography is by Roweena Russell. To obtain a copy of Make Dark Heaven Light email: lindsayhannonplus@gmail.com.  Russell 

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