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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

17680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 23 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Jan. 9).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Tue 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick TD15 1AS. 7:30pm. Free. Album launch gig.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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.

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

Tue 21: ???

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 29, 2018

CD Review: Jungsu Choi Tiny Orkester - Tschuss Jazz Era

Jungsu Choi (vocals (2) composer/arranger); Eunmi Kim (flute); MinkYu Cha (alto); Sungil Bae (tenor); Yejung Kim (trumpet); Junyeon Lee (trombone); Sehwa Kang (cello); Sungyun Hong (guitar); Jungmin Lee (piano); Joseph Han (bass); Hyunsu Lee (drums) + Jinho Pyo, Sehyun Baik (vocals)
(Review by Lance)
Jungsu Choi: “In whatever direction jazz might develop, I am ready to welcome the new jazz, bye-bye jazz era! My music is meant to free jazz from jazz, without any labels
Michael Gibbs: “Wow! This is top-class, modern big band jazz, with solidly and very well made, unique arrangements – energetic, orchestral, demanding, skilfully written…Jungsu Choi’s music introduces us to his fascinating feel and his talent. ”

Choi’s remarks may sound like posturing but, taken in conjunction with Michael Gibbs’ observations that thought is soon dismissed and, upon listening to the album, it becomes readily apparent that this is something special!
Leader Choi spent three years composing two and arranging all of the five tracks. He never actually had the chance to hear them during that period, they only existed, he says, in the shape of ink on hundreds of pages of paper.
Maybe, but when listening to the Tiny Orkester, one can but marvel at the skills of these 12 or so Korean musicians interpreting those ‘ink shapes’ so brilliantly.
You may think you’ve heard Anthropology, A Train and Spain one time too many but, take it from me, you’ve never heard them quite like this! 
A Train is, in fact, retitled as What if Duke Ellington Didn’t Take the A Train? Junyeon Lee’s trombone solo brings some sanity into this attempt to derail the most famous train in jazz history.
Spain has a long intro and many changes of tempo before the tune emerges. Some scintillating flute work is almost submerged by the ensemble, complete with wordless vocal.
Anthropology has cool alto, fiery trumpet and more outstanding fluting including a flute/tenor counterpoint section that defies the use of the word incredible – it’s not strong enough!
Stolen Yellow has the composer vocalising as part of the ensemble, guitar solo by Hong, bullfight trumpet over steady trombone riff. Wild alto blast, fantastic writing takes it out.
The other original, Nach Wien 224, sees Choi and Pyo adding their voices to the ensemble with cello emerging briefly. Pyo can also be heard solo. This is as close to a ballad as it gets which isn’t very close although maybe it is by Korean standards.
King Gil Evans is dead. Long Live King Choi!
A late arrival in the CD of the Month Stakes.
Lance.

Available on Challenge Records or via Amazon-ITunes.

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