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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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 12 noon-2:00pm (two sets). £12.00. admission (card or cash at the door). Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums). Note change of venue, no longer at Mrs M’s as advertised, the concert will be in the Old Library (Bishop Auckland Jazz’s regular venue). Important! It’s a ‘BYOB’ arrangement - ie bring your own booze (and/or tea, coffee, soft drinks).
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:00pm. ‘Klezmer, Gypsy Jazz, Balkan & More!’.
Fri 31: Nothing in Rambling @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £10.00. + bf. Country blues duo.
Fri 31 Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Wylam Institute. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf.
Fri 31: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £10.00 + bf. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.
Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00 Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 31: SwanNek + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. SwanNek’s new single launch gig. Pilgrim, formerly Hoochie Coochie.

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

Sunday, January 13, 2019

CD Review: Betty Bryant - Project 88

(Review by Ann Alex)

It’s definitely older performer’s week here at BSH. Betty Bryant turned 88 last year before proceeding to issue her ninth CD - Project 88 after her age, and the number of keys on a piano.

Ms Bryant, who does a lot more than singing, and playing the piano well, composed 5 of the songs and arranged 7 of the 10 tracks. Her voice sounds like that of a much younger woman, and why wouldn’t it? as she obviously knows her stuff. Listening, I was lost in admiration.

A native of Kansas City, who now plays to packed houses in the Los Angeles area, has also performed internationally in places such as Tokyo, Brazil, Panama and the Middle East as well as hosting the annual ‘Betty Bryant Birthday Bash’ in Hollywood.

The original songs are Love Came And Went (sung to a big band sound, with lively, witty lyrics); a bluesy Catfish Man: a Latin instrumental featuring flute which is called Cho Cho; My Beloved (another Latin number with a strong percussive beat); and the final track, appropriately titled It’s Hard To Say Goodbye, which consists of clever lyrics listing the lover’s good qualities, such as ‘you’re so ice cream at midnight’.

Five standards: Lady Be Good (a piano-led instrumental); Just You, Just Me (neatly arranged as a vocal duet with James Gadson); But Beautiful (done as a heartfelt ballad); Ain’t Nobody’s Business if I do (featuring muted trumpet and a piano solo); and They Say It’s Wonderful (and it is wonderful, with bass and drum solos and two choruses from our singer.

The CD is of course blessed with the playing of experienced musicians who all do their stuff well.

The album was released on January 11, on the bry-mar music label, and is available in stores and online. See www.bettybryant.com
Ann Alex

Betty Bryant (piano, vocal) + Tony Guerrero (trumpet 5 tracks); Tomas Gardano (bass 5 tracks); Richard Simon (bass 3 tracks); Hussain Jiffry (bass2 tracks); James Gadsen (drums 2 tracks, vocal 1 track); Kenny Elliott (drums 6 tracks); Quentin Dennard Sr (drums 2 tracks); Robert Kyle (tenor sax 4 tracks, flute 3 tracks); Ryan Dragon (trombone 2 tracks); Jeff Driskill (alto sax 2 tracks); Jay Mason (bari sax 2 tracks); Cassio Duarte (perc 2 tracks); KleberJorge (guitar, vocal 1 track)
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1 comment :

Betty Bryant (on F/b) said...

Wow! Another beautiful review. Many thanks Ann Alex! And once again, thank you Holly Cooper, Robert Kyle and all the wonderful musicians whose collaboration went into making Project 88!

Monday, January 21, 2019 9:37:00 am

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