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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

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

Sun 16: MOBO Song @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free, performances on the concourse. Line-up inc. Jazz Attack (on stage time TBC) & Jambone (12:20pm).
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt 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.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

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.

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, October 13, 2018

CD Review: Ayn Inserto Jazz Orchestra - Down a Rabbit Hole

(Review by Dave Brownlow) 
Ayn Inserto, a brilliant composer/arranger who’s reputation has gradually increased since lodging her first ensemble in 2001. Her innovative writing is fresh, imaginative, inspired, full of surprises and unlike anyone else in the current scene. Once a pupil of the late Bob Brookmeyer, I can detect his influence here and there, but her own unique style is now fully formed with an abundance of ideas.

Three and Me: Features the three main soloists - Jones, Fedchock and Garzone in a typically complex piece. The strong rhythm section holds down an aurally-different base as themes and counter-melodies emerge and depart amongst organised “disorder.”


BJ’s Tune: A vehicle for Jones the trumpeter, arranged by Ayn and showing a style favoured by Brookmeyer where the theme is fragmentary – short musical ideas, linked by muttering drums as Jones’ melodic trumpet solo wends its way through richly null orchestral statements.

Mister And Dudley (the names of Fedchock and Wharton’s pet dogs) catch the mood of two playful, friendly animals where frisky theme statements combined with a fluent trombone solo from Fedchock form a swinging saunter in the park.

Down a Rabbit Hole: A composition first heard on his 2015 release Home Away From Home. We tumble around a supercharged descent down a magical vortex of a rabbit hole with seemingly endless strands of music bursting forth in an imaginative ‘wonderland’. Garzone features here with a forceful, authoritative contribution shouted on by dramatic figures from brass and reeds.

Part 1: Ze Teach and Part2: And Me is the two-part centrepiece of the CD. Firstly, a haunting theme in a swinging medium tempo is imaginatively delivered, introducing Randy Pingrey’s thoughtful solo in three segments. As usual, unexpected harmonies abound throughout.
Part2: And Me – somewhat Brookmeyer influenced – A powerhouse statement driven by the uncompromising rhythm team. Again, melodic fragments are introduced and developed in a complicated but joyous framework for Chase on soprano and Stone on alto to solo through. ‘Fiendishly difficult’ parts are seemingly effortless for this band. I’m impressed!

I’ll Be There – the Motown song – is completely re-imagined by Ayn as a gentle, warm, reflective ballad begun by a ‘Debussian’ piano intro from Yeager, then Claassen on flugel (the melody), the agile Rosenthal on trumpet and some exquisite writing for the clarinets to bring this album to a quiet close.

Crazy like a fox, Inserto has created her own musical Wonderland with her orchestra, a sensational universe easily accessible with a little step down a rabbit hole…” says the press release: I couldn’t put it better myself.
Dave B.
CD available now on Summit Records DCD 732 from: www.ayninserto.com

Ayn Inserto (leader, composer, arranger); Jeff Claassen, Bijon Watson, Dan Rosenthal, Matthew Small (Trumpets); Randy Pingrey, Chris Gagne, Garo Saraydarian (Trombones); Jennifer Wharton (Bass Trombone); Allan Chase, Rick Stone, Kelly Roberge, Mark Zaleski, Kathy Olsen (Reeds); Eric Hofbauer (guitar), Jason Yeager (piano), Sean Farias (bass), Austin McMahon (drums) + guests: John Fedchock (trombone); George Garzone (tenor); Sean Jones (trumpet)
On Track 5: Mike Tomasiak (tenor); Jerry Sabatini (trumpet); Tim Lienhard (trombone); Jamie Kember (bass trombone)


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