Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 2026)

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

18445 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 309 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 20 ) 43,

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

From This Moment On

April

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Nubiyan Twist @ Digital, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £28.75 (inc. bf).
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 7:30pm. Date, time & admission TBC.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 23: FILM: Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 6:15pm. Dir. Robert Clem (2025).
Thu 23: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 23: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 23: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra & Musicians Unlimited @ ARC, Stockton. 8:00pm. £19.00. inc. bf.

Fri 24: Noel Dennis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. Dennis, Mark Willams, Andy Champion.
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Trio Grand @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Ben Vince + The Exu @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £14.33., £11.16, £8.00. A ‘jazz adjacent’ gig!
Fri 24: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £13.20 (inc. bf).
Fri 24: TBC @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.

Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm.
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ni Maxine + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sun 26: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 26: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00., £7.00.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: House of Blues @ the Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00., £5.00. advance. A student-led jazz session. ‘House of Blues’ is, perhaps, a misnomer.
Mon 27: Littlewood Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00 + bf, £7.00. + bf.

Tue 28: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

CD Review: Lucas Pino’s ‘No Net Nonet’ - That’s A Computer

Lucas Pino (tenor sax/bass clarinet), Alex LoRe (alto), Mat Jodrell (trumpet), Nick Finzer (trombone), Andrew Gutauskas (baritone), Rafal Sarnecki (guitar), Glenn Zaleski (piano), Desmond White(bass), Jimmy Macbride(drums), Camila Meza (voice). 
(Review by Dave Brownlow).

“That’s a computer” was the unkind, dismissive comment made by one of Lucas Pino’s professors at Juilliard Music School upon hearing the young saxophonist/composer/arranger’s work. “No Net Nonet” is the perfect riposte from Pino and his nine-piece ensemble and we can share their responses in the seven performances on this enjoyable, swinging and energetic CD.

Alex LoRe’s attractive Antiquity features the soaring, fleet-fingered altoist, amidst a pleasant-on-the-ear arrangement full of interest, changes of pace and carefully thought-out section work.
 The leader’s Horse of a Different Colour is a boppish blues featuring most of the band. Interestingly, Lucas contacted each of the soloists and asked them their favourite key to solo over! Talk about democracy in practice, LoRo, Finzer, Jodrell, Zakeski, Pino, Gutauskas and Sarnecki all get a chance to shine in their favourite key and style!

Film at 11 is a beautiful ballad from Pino, such lush orchestral textures from the six-piece front line, so reminiscent of Miles’ “Birth of the Cool” Band and Gil Evans’ arrangement of Moon Dreams

Look into My Eyes features the fluent trombone of Nick Finzer and Pino on tenor this time, in a quirky but irresistible melody with apposite band contributions of support. This is an exhortation by the writer for “human connection and eye contact rather than the impersonal brusqueness of many New Yorkers”

Pino’s fourth composition Frustrations features Camila Meza adding gorgeous wordless vocals to the aural textures of a somewhat impressionistic piece. This could have been written by Gil Evans himself, with rich background ensemble figures added to a tender bass clarinet solo from the leader. The “Birth of the Cool” re-imagined!

Guitarist Rafel Sarnecki provides Sueno de Gatos using words provided by poet Pablo Neruda. A complex, intricate theme introduces the vocal from Meza which has an up-tempo, slightly threatening, urgent feel, similar in some ways to Chick Corea’s Spain. A tenor solo and challenging band parts with drums to the fore sustain the mood.

A short Basketball Simulator 1000 – a theme song from a vintage Nintendo game – completes the album in a raucous, lively, ‘Township’ style bringing to mind “Brotherhood Of Breath” memories ….Surging bass lines from White and swinging, dynamic drumming from Macbride ensures this band moves with spirit.

On this evidence, Lucas Pino completely disproves his former professor’s thoughtless remarks providing a first-class, likeable, refreshing, creative display of jazz music in the contemporary idiom including ‘grooves’, harmony, swing, chord sequences and joy.
Dave B.

That’s A Computer is on OUTSIDE IN MUSIC OiM1814 and available now from lucaspino.com

No comments :

Blog Archive