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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, 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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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

Sunday, April 01, 2018

CD Review: Flying Horse Big Band - The Bat Swings

(Review by Lance)
The Flying Horse Big Band comprises students on the University of Central Florida's Jazz Studies program and this is their fifth album under the direction of Bruce Wayne, sorry, I mean Adam West. No I don't, I mean Jeff Rupert.
Rupert has enlisted the services of arrangers Michael Philip Mossman, Mark Taylor, Harry Allen, Per Danielson to do the charts as well as chipping in with a couple himself.
The album is riddled with sound solos and that's no joke!
Batmobile to Airport, written by Nelson Riddle, and arranged by Mossman features Dautch on baritone and Hannon on tenor whilst Waszner and Herrera sock it to one of Batman's arch enemies in Batman Riddles the Riddler, another composition by Nelson Riddle (no relation!) and arranged by Mark Taylor.
Blues For Batman (composed Riddle, arranged Allen) has the caped crusader relaxing with Dautch, Young wailing on alto and some lyrical trumpet from Lakshman with Herrera playing like Big T. Any Gotham City jazz club would pay megabucks for these guys.
The action moves to another legendary crimefighter with The Spider-man Theme. Waszmer and guest Drexler up there in the mix. 
Kitka, arranged by Harry Allen, tells the story in music of Batman's infatuation and, ultimate disdain for his femme fatale. Sensuous tenor by Garcia oozes with love, Herrera's trombone sustains the mood but when D''Angelo kicks in you know the affair is over. 
Holy-Hole-in-the-Doughnut has more sensuous tenor from Garcia, this time over a bossa nova rhythm.
OMG! I've got to start watching the TV series again - are they being rerun anywhere on some obscure channel? - I'm even tapping out the rhythm of the original theme as I type!
No wonder, it's very much incorporated in Murciélago En La Cueva. Arranger Mossman adds an Afro-Cuban flair while evoking fight scenes and dramatic moments, culminating in the aforementioned theme by Neal Hefti.
Linking all the main tracks are Bat-Spins. Miniatures that segue one track into the next keeping the pace flowing like as if you were watching in your bat cave without any adverts to take away the momentum.
Amazing Grace may seem an unusual choice to finish this masterpiece with but Ira Sullivan, legendary saxophone and trumpet star, now 86, recently played a gig with the band and, as Sullivan always finishes his show with Amazing Grace, as an appreciation they included it here. Rupert himself arranged it and guitarist Waszner the featured artist. It brought the album to a sedate close after what had been a helter-skelter ride around Gotham in the Batmobile.
Holy Hot Rod! Where can I trade in my Chevvy for a Batmobile (one careful owner preferred).
Lance
Sample/buy.
Jeff Rupert (MD); Courtland Beyer, Taylor Grubbs, Aidan Lakshman, Marco Rivera (trumpets); Christian Herrera, Matt Kerr, Brian Morris, Juwan Murphy (trombones); Kristian Ray (flute), Dylan Young (altos); Andy Garcia, Dylan Hannan (tenors); Saul Dautch (baritone); Mudel Honore (piano/Hammond); Luther Burke (bass); Ryan Waszner (guitar); Gus D'Angelo (drums) + Justin Diaz (trumpet); Richard Drexler (Hammond); Jeff Moore (bongoes); Marty Morrell (vibes/congas/shaker).

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