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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

17680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 23 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Jan. 9).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Tue 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

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, October 18, 2018

CD Review: Sara Colman - What We're Made of.

(Review by Ann Alex).
I’m so pleased about our award, lots of credit to Lance our Leader, but BSH must go on, so here goes, I’m behind with CDs. And the reason for tardiness is because of the particular problems with albums of original material, such as this one, which gives us 9 new songs and 2 well-known ones. Joni Mitchell’s All I Want has a lively guitar, with Rhodes and guitar solos, and effective scat singing towards a fade out. Paul Simon’s Still Crazy After All These Years is a fitting final track, with voice, piano and backing vocals.

 On first listening to the rest, rather philosophical songs about such subjects as waking to a new day, environmental issues, a message to a daughter and all women, and love songs, I found the music enjoyable but not earth-shatteringly so. Yet on listening a week later to some tracks, it all sounded so much more interesting. Original tracks need time to settle, that’s the message. Who knows what the future standards will be?

The instrumentalists do their stuff well, for instance, the cello enhances It Begins, (the daybreak song) beautifully. Ms Colman’s voice has a pleasing nasal quality, and she gives the soloists room to show what they can do. On Strange Meeting the trumpet and guitar play around each other neatly; Trouble Out There, concerning the environment, has a fast and frenetic guitar, suiting the subject. 

Echoes commemorates the death of a friend and the building where they used to meet, and it features piano and heartfelt singing. The lyrics of the songs are contemplative rather than containing hooks, but the listener is still able to be drawn in. Other song titles are: What We’re Made Of; Heartsafe; Open; Be Careful; Dreamer.

Sara Colman hails from Bristol, and she has worked with Laura Mvula and Liane Carroll during the past year. She has performed at Manchester Jazz Festival and will be doing an album tour next Spring.
Ann Alex 

The CD was released on Stoney Lane Records on Sept. 28, catalogue # SLR1968.


Sara Colman (vocals, composer); Rebecca  Nash (piano, Rhodes); Ben Markland (bass, bass guitar); Steve Banks (guitars); Adriano Adewale (perc); Jules Jackson (bass); Jonathan Silk (drums); Percy Pursglove (trumpet, flugel); Emila Martensson, Anthony Marsden, Nick Dover (backing vocals); Carducci Quartet (strings) 

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