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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

Sunday, September 02, 2018

CD Review: Peter Nelson - Ash, Dust and the Chalkboard Cinema:

Peter Nelson (trombone); Alexa Barchini (voice); Nikara Warren (vibes); Josh Lawrence (trumpet); Hailey Niswanger (alto); Yuma Uesaka (bass clarinet); Willerm Delisfort (piano); Raviv Markovitz (bass); Itay Morchi (drums).
(Review by Dave Brownlow).
This intriguingly entitled album by trombonist Peter Nelson features him in three different settings – a delicate trio of vibes, wordless female vocal and trombone, a quartet of trombone, piano, bass and drums and a septet of trumpet, trombone, alto sax, bass clarinet and three rhythm.

Peter has emerged from a debilitating five-year health condition (Dystonia) which made it extremely painful and impossible to play his instrument caused by poor teaching as he learned music. He has since recovered and forged a career composing in a variety of genres and playing trombone with some of the top names in the US jazz scene. The ten unusually titled tracks on the album refer to some of the stages of Peter’s recovery and form a kind of musical suite brought to life by his collaborators each of whom has played a part in his life.

It Starts Slowly(first in your heart) is the first offering from the trio – an ethereal, out-of-this-world piece with wordless vocals and shimmering chords from the vibes contrasting sharply with the full sound of the trombone.

State of Fear (that lonely nightmare) is by the quartet – a hard-swinging performance reminiscent of a Coltrane tour-de-force with ambiguous Tyner-esque chords and some fearsome ‘machine-gun’ trombone and an unsettling drum-led coda.

As We Grow Unfamiliar (In the Void) also by the quartet is based on a repeated two-chord vamp where the rhythm team work hard to provide momentum. Agile solos from trombone and piano in ‘contemporary’ style squeeze all the possibilities from a limited chord sequence.

Cyclical Maze (Round and Round We Go) is by the septet and begins with a chorale-style intro from brass and reeds, leading to a pleasingly arranged melodic theme statement. The solos are unusual in that each player has just 8 bars, then 4, then 2 leading to a successful mass ‘free-for-all’  which completes the track.

Ghost of Sand (Slipping Through Your Fingers) is from the trio – a short out-of-tempo exploration of some imponderable idea where the brusque trombone contrasts nicely with ‘other-worldly’ floating backing.

Back to the septet for Do Nothing (If Less is More) which is a tribute to physiologist/trombonist Jan Kagarice who diagnosed and treated Nelson’s condition.

To The Water, my Eyes (To The Wave, my Heart) is a churning quartet performance with a confident theme statement with solos from bass, trombone and piano on a simple chord structure in “contemporary style.”

Peace, A Moment (you’re enough) is just trombone and bass and finds the leader in reflective mood over the bassist’s repeated motif using the instrument’s harmonics.

Behind Kind Eyes (thank you) is from the septet and sounds like something George Russell might have written. It features the alto of Niswanger, a more conventional trombone solo and a sudden and unexpected ending (i.e. no final theme statement).

Closure is a Wasted Prayer (release, relax) from the trio – is a brief, surreal, impressionist statement which concludes this CD in gentle style.

Overall, a thoughtful album in several respects – a somewhat audacious use of resources, far-reaching, imaginative compositions, and the heart-warming story of a musician, restored to health, realising his talents and abilities to the full.  

Available now on OiM 1813 from Outside In Music or peternelsonmusic.com
Dave B.

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