Total Pageviews

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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

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.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

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, May 05, 2018

CD Review: The Brubeck Brothers - Timeline

Chris Brubeck (bass guitar/ bass trombone); Dan Brubeck (drums); Mike DeMicco  (guitar); Chuck Lamb (piano)
(Review by Lance).
I've long been a Brubeck fan, albeit not a hero-worshipper oblivious to his sometimes heavy-handed approach, but one who appreciated his sincerity, his compositional qualities and (most of the time) his piano playing. Brubeck's innovative use of unusual time signatures brought a new dimension to modern jazz that only now is being brought into the jazz mainstream.
Given this background, it isn't surprising that his family are continuing to keep his legacy alive whilst contributing some of their own. Apart from Chris and Dan, featured here, there is also pianist Darius Brubeck and cellist Matthew.

Seven of the eleven tracks are compositions by Brubeck père although probably, only the opening Blue Rondo à la Turk will be familiar to the nonaficionado. Far More Blue; Easy as You Go; Since Love Had its Way; Tritonis; The Golden Horn and Thank You may be lesser known but are no less appealing and, in many ways, because they are less gimmicky, of greater lasting value.
Easy has some mellow trombone from Chris who really blows 'dirty' on Lamb's Prime Directive. Thank You was inspired by Dave Brubeck's visit to Chopin's house in Poland. Anyone who watched last night's screening of the documentary, The Jazz Ambassadors, on BBC4 will recall that after Dave had played it at a concert, the Polish audience were stunned into silence for a full minute before erupting with rapturous applause. Lamb, on the 60th anniversary of that tour by the boy's dad, does that memory proud and Chopin too would surely have appreciated (I hope) the trombone playing over a bossa nova rhythm in 5/4!
Chris Brubeck, Lamb (2) and DeMicco provide the other four compositions. Each one in keeping with the tradition.
I heard Dan and Chris (and Darius) at Sage Gateshead a few years back with Dave O'Higgins taking the Paul Desmond role (on tenor) and I was a little hesitant when I noted there was no sax player on this album. My worries were unfounded, DeMicco's guitar solos and Chris' rich toned trombone provide the lyricism that Desmond did back in the day. 
Timeline is a fine album - Dave would have been proud of his offspring and maybe even more so when he discovered that yesterday, America celebrated Dave Brubeck Day (May 5/4!)
Available on Blue Forest Records.

Lance

No comments :

Blog Archive