Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

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 30, 2019

CD Review: Tom Culver - Duke's Place

Tom Culver (vocals); Josh Nelson, Rich Eames (piano - 6 tks each); Larry Koonse, Pat Kelley (guitar - 6 & 5 tks each); Ricky Woodward (sax); Nolan Shaheed (trumpet); Gabe Davis (bass); Kevin Winard (drums); Mark Winkler (vocal - 1 tk.)
(Review by Lance)

What can I say? This is a great album but, where are the buyers other than at his sell-out gigs in prestigious east/west coast venues? 12 of the best of Duke's songs is the immediate attraction and he does them to perfection but the casual buyer is going to say, "Hang on, I've got these songs by either, Sinatra, Tormé, Bennett, Ella as well as at least a 101 others".
Fair point but, whilst I'd fall short of saying this album eclipses what has gone before, it is still an album well worth checking out. Culver has his own distinctive identity enhanced by the musicians around him. Woodward solos on both tenor and alto delivering blistering blasts particularly on Duke's Place (C Jam Blues) whilst Shaheed updates Harry Edison. Koonse, is practically the house guitarist on this site - he pops up more frequently than some of our local boys! The pianists are both swingers. Bass and drums do the business and Mark Winkler sneaks in on Caravan with some additional vocal work.

The more I play it, the more I like it. I think that maybe Ol' Blue Eyes, the Velvet Fog, Anthony Dominick Benedetto and Ms. Fitz may be left on the shelf for a while.
Lance.
Duke's Place; I Let a Song Go Out of my Heart; I Ain't Got Nothing But the Blues; Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me; Everything But You; Just Squeeze Me; Mood Indigo; Something to Live For; Love You Madly; Sophisticated Lady; I'm Just a Lucky So and So; Caravan.
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive