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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

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

Friday, February 16, 2018

CD Review: Better Than TV - Song From No Man's Land

Alastair Appleton (sop sax); Gabriel  Bliard (trumpet); Louis Day (trumpet on 3 tracks); Simon Fothergill (trombone); Luke Congdon (piano); Ben Comeau (piano on 4 tracks); Daniel Duffy (guitar); Sergio Contrino (bass); Joe Davighi (drums); Cassie Gorman (voice); Rowan Haslam (cello. voice on 2 tracks).
(Review by Lance).
The second album by this Cambridge based band is somewhat different from the first. Late, reviewed here in 2015, was a tight contemporary sounding quintet whereas this current version is a larger, looser ensemble with bassist Contrino who composed the material the only common denominator.
Before I Go is a bit of a free for all with both vocalists pitching in and a lyrical trumpet solo from Bliard. One could almost call it Avant-garde Dixieland!
Gerico develops over an insistent drumbeat with Congdon's piano opening the batting followed byAppleton's soprano and some tightly muted Milesian trumpet, again from Bliard. Fothergill blows some lusty trombone riding the storm beneath him.
Standing With Sally - the vocal version - has Gorman dramatically seeking Sally. Davighi thumps the tubs effectively, the band riffs and Gorman takes it out.
Da Lontano: Ragtimey piano intro by Comeau,  swingy trumpet solo by Day who, respectively, make this a jaunty romp. Appleton's soprano and Fothergill's 'bone bounce phrases off each other before the latter goes it alone. More piano and Contrino's bass ever present.
Latin Song, ponderous voice by Gorman using the words of Ovid. This is Vatican Latin, not Brazillian.
Norway, delicate Comeau piano, searching soprano, muted trumpet then, suddenly, it becomes alive. Drums driving, soprano steering. There's an almost classical theme running through - P.Gynt perhaps?
For Louis - Louis being Louis Day who's well featured on the track. There's also a Hava Nagila quote from pianist Comeau in his intro.
Hey Joe features Haslam's expressive vocal chords. Fothergill's trombone, Appleton's soprano and Congdon's piano before drum 'n bass take over until Haslam sees it out.
Samba per mi is perhaps Gorman's best vocal.
Bus Stop Blu features a male voice (Contrino? the sleeve doesn't say)
L'attesta e' lunga; cello, soprano, piano are all in there pitching and,, in the end, the cello emerges triumphant. It's a strange ending with several bars of silence followed by girlish laughter then some unrelated piano!
A difficult disc to classify. I imagine that if you'd been to a Better Than TV gig you'd be on a high and want the album as a memento to relive the evening. However, listening to the album without the live experience I found it hard going at times. Having said that, there were still plenty moments that I loved and Better Than TV is definitely better than tv.

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