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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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

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: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
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: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ 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

Sunday, May 20, 2018

CD Review: Mark Kavuma - Kavuma

Mark Kavuma (trumpet); Mussinghi Brian Edwards, Ruben Fox (saxes); Artie Zaitz (guitar on 3 tks); Reuben James (piano); Conor Chaplin (bass); Kyle Poole (drums) + Michela Martin Lerman (tap dance on 1 track).
(Review by Lance)
"They resemble the finest amalgam of 50's Blue Note and Prestige line-ups" so said guitarist and sound engineer, Zaitz. It was enough for me, I was halfway there before I'd heard a note! I've spent the past couple of months playing Blue Note CDs on the car stereo so I've got plenty to compare with.
In a blindfold test, I'd have been fooled completely, convinced it had been recorded by the late Rudy Van Gelder in his Hackensack, NJ, studio as opposed to on board a ship moored on the Thames in East London!*
Maybe Lee Morgan, Freddy Hubbard or Donald Byrd blowing alongside Benny Golson, Jackie McLean or Stanley Turrentine. I can almost see the Blue Note honchos Wolfe and Lyon nodding their heads approvingly - just as I'm doing as I listen.
This is Kavuma's debut album as a leader and it is impressive. Fiery and explosive he can, like the Blue Note trumpet players, also blow lyrical on ballads. The poignancy of his playing on Barbar G, a reference to an early romance, is an outpouring of emotion set to his own composition. Ugandan born Kavuma composed 5 of the 7 pieces and arranged the other two, somewhat surprising choices, Carolina Moon and Abide With Me! The former came to his attention via a Monk box set and the latter a reflection of his Christian upbringing. Both are given a totally new look.
Edwards and Fox are outstanding blowers - I'm not sure which one is which but one of them has the Golson sound with maybe a touch of Webster or Ike Quebec. There's also a rhythm section to die for with that man Chaplin at the heart of things.
Lerman adds the sound of her terpsichorean skills to Church - a reference to a late night hang, The Haggerston in East London where, 'tis said, that Kavuma perfected his performance skills.
The trumpet player's c.v. includes being featured as guest soloist with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. He also plays with Jean Toussaint's Young Lions and was on one track of Toussaint's just-released album Brother Raymond.
How do I rate this album [Kavuma]?
Five stars and counting!
Lance.
The album, Kavuma, is set to be released on June 16 on ubuntu music UBU0007 with a launch concert at Ghost Notes, London on July 19.

*Oli Barton-Wood's Soup Studios which are situated onboard Lightship 95 moored at Trinity Buoy Wharf on The Thames in East London.

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