Total Pageviews

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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

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.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Friday, November 23, 2018

Alison Rayner Quintet @ the Globe Jazz Bar, Newcastle - Nov. 22

Alison Rayner (bass); Deirdre Cartwright (guitar); Diane McLoughlin (tenor/soprano saxes); Steve Lodder (piano); Buster Birch (drums)
(Review by Lance/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew).

You wait 11 months for a 'Quintet of the Year' to come along and, within less than a week, you have two of them!

Nothing could ever top Sunday's session at the Black Bull with the Mick Shoulder Quintet but, and here's the rub, nor could anything top the Alison Rayner Quintet at the Globe last night. Two great bands, one updating the past and one bringing the future closer. Let's just say that I wouldn't have missed either.

A co-promotion by the Jazz Coop and JNE as part of the latter's Women Make Music series, this was an unmissable event and the crowded Jazz Bar seemed to agree.

Two sets of originals, mainly by leader/bassist Rayner, demonstrated the wide cross-section of the band's repertoire drawn from their two previous CDs* as well as some yet to be recorded material.

A floating, almost ephemeral, feeling came across even on some of the more forceful numbers. Hard blowing tenor that wouldn't have been out of place on a Blue Note album from McLoughlin contrasted with the wistfulness of her soprano playing. The soprano is my least favourite of the saxophone family. Too often it brings to mind snake charmers! Diane avoided this stereotype even on a number Alison composed that was related to Indian elephants (Trunk Call) and went a long way to dispelling my saxist prejudices.


Lodder too had an amazing solo on the Indo/Bop number perhaps best described as Monkish (Buddhist?). His solos were all on the money and then some.

Cartwright played with minimal use of foot pedals. Fast-fingered and cleanly articulated runs that surely was an object lesson to any aspiring guitar players in the audience. They'd be easily recognised by the way their mouths hung open and their jaws dropped. Given the chance, they'd use her plecs for toothpicks (I cleaned that one up!)

Buster Birch - a jazz name if ever there was one, said a member of Team Bebop - was mega impressive. Solos, support he went with the many mood changes. When it said swing, he swung, when it said rock, he rocked, when it said fuse, he fused - a man for all seasons.

As for Alison Rayner, sound throughout and particularly during one number where piano and bass had a lovely duo moment. Just the two - it was sublime.

During the interval, Ken Drew took this shot of Alison Rayner, Chi Onwurah (Newcastle's jazziest MP) and myself reunited after last month's APPJAG awards ceremony in London.

A brilliant night.
Lance.
Photos.

*August and A Magic Life.

4 comments :

Pam Young (on F/b) said...

Fabulous band! We are so lucky in Newcastle to have heard such amazing music. In the last few weeks alone we have been in the presence of genius.

Anonymous said...

Loved it.

Phil D said...

Loved it.

Alison Rayner said...

Wow, Lance, thank you for a lovely review. It was so nice to see you again – and Chi too – especially so soon after our recent Awards successes! Thank you to everyone who came and made us feel so welcome in Newcastle. Cheers!

Blog Archive