Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

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