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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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: 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

Monday, August 20, 2018

CD Review: Sara Dowling - Two Sides of Sara

Sara Dowling (vocal) + Gabriel Latchin (piano) or Bill Mudge  (Hammond)
(Review by Lance).
When a CD/artist arrives on the back of endorsements by Guy Barker, Nigel Price, Sebastian Scotney, Jazz Journal and Mojo the least I can do is check it out before sending it down to the local Oxfam shop.
I'm rather glad I did!
Sorry Oxfam, but charity begins at home and this one's staying at home - mine!

One of the current trends amongst jazz vocalists is to draw from the Ella/Joe Pass albums but, great as those albums are, the earlier collaboration between Ella and pianist Ellis Larkins topped them. The First Lady was at her absolute peak in the years before Granz turned her into a songbook-churning machine and Larkins was, arguably, the finest accompanist she ever recorded with and I haven't forgotten Peterson, Tommy Flanagan, Paul Smith, Don Abney and the others but with Larkins, the chemistry was there.
So, when I read that Sara Dowling loved the Ella/Larkins' recordings that was another strike against Oxfam and when I actually listened, it was game, set and match Ms. Dowling.
The UK, Europe, the World, maybe even Mars, has more jazz singers per unsquare mile than we could ever have dreamed of back in Ella's day. Not all are wonderful, some are average and some are downright awful.
Sara fits into the Wonderful category.
If you doubt me, listen to Sara and Gabriel Latchin doing: Isn't it a Lovely Day; It's Crazy; I'm Glad There is You; After You Get What You Want You Don't Want it; Lost in the Stars; Will You Still be Mine? and Some Other Time and you'll die happy.
Unfortunately, should you depart this mortal coil at this point you will miss the next 7 tracks which have Bill Mudge on Hammond B3.
More superb singing with the Hammond adding a different dimension without detracting from Latchin's performance on the piano tracks.
You Turned the Tables on me; Mountain Greenery; I Guess I'll Hang my Tears Out to Dry; Miss Brown to You; Great Day; You Came a Long From St. Louis; Sleepy Time Down South. If anything, Sara is even jazzier on these tracks - well she had to be hadn't she? When you pit yourself against Mel Tormé, Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee and Louis Armstrong there's no time for coasting.
Sara isn't coasting!
A 5 star and counting album.
You can check it out here and whilst you're there listen to her first album and the (after Jon Hendricks) definitive version of Gigi Gryce's Social Call - this lady is going to be big!
Lance.
at

2 comments :

Martin Hummel said...

Lovely album. Well-deserved review. Good stuff, Lance!

Monday, August 20, 2018 2:13:00 pm
Anonymous said...

Great review and a perfect summary of this young lady who has a great future ahead of her.

Tuesday, September 18, 2018 6:31:00 pm

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