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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

17655 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 929 of them this year alone and, so far, 74 this month (Dec. 31).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 09: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: John H Hammond.
Thu 09: FILM: Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 2:35pm. Documentary (dir. Johan Grimonprez) ‘about jazz, (de)colonial history and activism featuring Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie’.
Thu 09: Happy Tuesdays @ Ye Olde Cross, Ryton. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 09: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Ragtime piano. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 09: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. The session now monthly, next one Thursday 2nd Feb, then first Thursday in the month thereafter.

Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 11: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 11: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 12: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: King Bees @ The Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.
Sun 12: Dave Bottomley @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.
Sun 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 13: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 13: Raymond MacDonald & Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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

Thursday, September 27, 2018

CD Review: Petra van Nuis & Dennis Luxion - Because We're Night People

Petra van Nuis (vocals); Dennis Luxion (piano).
(Review by Lance).
Amid the hocus-pocus of the many CDs now being marketed as jazz, this album, recorded live at Chicago's PianoForte, is refreshingly sans hocus or pocus. What it does have is focus - focus on a good tune, a good lyric and, an interpretation by two of Chi's finest on some choice material.

I've known of Petra since I raved over a previous album with guitarist and hubby, Andy Brown and this is of the same high standard - like is 11 out of 10 high enough?
Duo albums and gigs seem to have become more and more prevalent these days. Usually, it's for economic reasons. Fortunately, at other times, and this is just such an occasion, it's the artists' desire to create something intimate, personal without the intrusions of drums, basses or horns.
Or guitars!

Just as Petra and Andy gelled on her earlier album so does the sensuous sounding vocalist do here with Dennis Luxion.
Almost every duo album these days acknowledges the inspiration of Ellis Larkins, who, on record with either Ella or Ruby Braff, more or less etched the ground rules in vinyl.
Petra and Dennis follow the code. If it ain't broke... 

It's been a great year for vocalists, Petra ranks alongside the best of them, and anyone looking for a sympathetic accompanist such as Dennis need only contact the Chicago Local 10-208.
The material is what we now expect from Petra: the known, the not so well known and the delightful surprises: 

Street of Dreams; Night People; The Piano Player (A thousand and one saloons); Moonlight Saving Time: You and the Night and the Music; While my Lover Sleeps; Small Day Tomorrow; Dreamsville: No Moon at All; The Night We Called it a Day; Shadows of Paris; Black Coffee; Count Your Blessings.

The music is fantastic, yet the applause is quite low-key. If I'd been present I'd have been a-whoopin' an' a-hollerin'. Petra tells me that our Patti D was present and, PD, not averse to doing a little vociferous applauding herself, makes me wonder if the audience had been asked to show some restraint?
Whatever, once you've got the music on the player I think your response can be accurately forecast - start a-whoopin'!
Lance.

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