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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 19: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Saturday, March 03, 2018

CD Review: Snowpoet - Thought You Knew

Lauren Kinsella (vocals, backing vocals, lyrics);  Chris Hyson (electric bass, double bass, piano, synths, composer); Nicholas Costley-White (acoustic guitar); Matthew Robinson (guitar); Dave Hamlett (drums); Josh Arcoleo (saxophone); also Alice Zawadski (violin); Francesca Ter-Berg ( cello); Lloyd Haines (drums and percussion, tracks 1,2, 7)
(Review by Ann Alex)
This is Snowpoet’s second album, following their highly acclaimed debut album in 2016. The band is led by Lauren Kinsella (Jazz FM Vocalist of the Year 2016) and multi-instrumentalist Chris Hyson from the creative new London jazz scene. All the words and music are original except for the songs Dear Someone (Gillian Welch) and Snow (Emiliana Torrini) and 2 of the 10 tracks are instrumentals.

The singing is sweet, yet also strong and sensitive, and the musicianship, as stated in the information notes, reaches ‘supreme levels’. So why was I disappointed on listening to the CD? I’m sorry to say that I was somewhat bored by the songs as I found the lyrics confusing and sometimes inconsequential.  I’m uncertain of why the CD is called Thought You Knew, as it has no obvious connection with the songs, unless it’s a general comment about the songs which appear to be mostly love songs. Perhaps I need to listen again, but I doubt it, as most of the lyrics are printed on the CD insert, so I know what they are.  Perhaps I’m just not on the same wavelength as the writer.

Most of the CD is not what I’d call jazz but is closer to contemporary folk. The Therapist opens with a sweet voice over rippling guitar, with a background of synths.  Under The Trees is an instrumental which evokes the countryside with synths and light percussion. Love Again is more successful as a song, because ‘we can love again’ is constantly repeated to various backing instruments, more rhythmical and a bit jazzy. I quite liked Dear Someone, which is sung acappella with vocal harmony. Other song titles were: Water Baby; Snow; Pixel; It’s Already Better Than OK;  Another Step and the other instrumental is Two Of Cups, repeated riffs with some fine playing from the cello.  

The album is available as a CD, LP or digitally, and the release date was February 9. The band is touring from March 1, mostly in Ireland. The nearest place they come to Newcastle is Birmingham!

Ann Alex

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

this is awful writing

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