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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

Saturday, March 02, 2019

CD Review: Lyn Stanley - London Calling "A Toast To Julie London"

Lyn Stanley (vocals); John Chiodini (guitar); Mike Garson, Christian Jacob (piano); Chuck Berghofer, Michael Valerio (bass); Luis Conte, Brad Dutz (perc); Aaron Serfaty (drums, perc); Paul Kreibich (drums)
(Review by Ann Alex).

I liked this CD before I heard it! At least I enjoyed the very informative notes in the insert, which give the details of each song, the circumstances in which Julie London sang the song and the details of Lyn Stanley’s interpretation. For instance, did you know that  As Time Goes By was a flop when it was written in 1931, and didn’t catch on until it was included in the film Casablanca in 1942? Or that Blue Moon was originally entitled The Bad In Every Man? I digress.

The CD gives us 15 standards recorded by Julie London and 2 songs, It’s Impossible and I Heard It Through The Grapevine, which Stanley reckons would have suited Julie’s singing. Julie London (1926-2000) was a singer and actor, and one of her classic and very influential songs was Cry Me A River. Lyn Stanley released her debut album in 2013 and she has sold 40,000 albums worldwide.  On this CD she puts very much her own take on these classic songs, Working with stellar musicians from the Los Angeles area, and without any actual written arrangements.

Her diction is faultless and she sings with feeling. For instance, Bye Bye Blackbird  is a swinging duet with lots of space for the bass, and a sly reference to These Boots Are Made For Walking at the end. I Heard It Through The Grapevine has Latin percussion with bass noodling and a free jazz feeling from the piano. Summertime (Yes Lance!) is done twice, both very acceptable, a bluesy version with the whole band, and then as a lullaby with a rocking rhythm from piano and vocals. Sway is intimate, almost whispered, with mainly piano and guitar. I could outline each track, but it’s best to hear the songs, which include: Goody Goody; Call Me Irresponsible; How About Me; I’ve Got A Crush On You; Light My Fire; Go Slow/Nice Girls Don’t Stay For Breakfast; You The Night And The Music; Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye.

The music is available on CD and also in vinyl as a 2 disc set. See www.LynStanley.com
Ann Alex    

1 comment :

JazzMaverick said...

Just a note to thank you so much for this review--I really enjoyed reading it and am so appreciative that you noticed the work Scott Yanow did for the liner notes to help bring the songs to life for the listener. This album's arrangements were all created by the band and they were organic even on the recording day. The lullaby of Summertime you mention was a one take one time recording whereby Mike Garson asked me to record it at the end of our band session. So, I dismissed the band and kept the engineers and Mike saundered over to the Steinway and just told me to follow his lead. And so it went. I included it because it does add such an interesting contrast to the band version and Mike's solo is over the top to me.

Thank you again, and I am sorry that I did not know about this review until today.

Lyn Stanley

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