Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18897 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 11.) 40.

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

September.

Sun 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: King Bees @ Shape Patisserie, Darlington. 3:00pm. Free. Duo (Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor). A Rhythm & Blues Fringe event. Blues excellence.
Sun 13: Alligator Gumbo @ The Cluny. 5:00pm. £17.15.; £11.43; £5.72.
Sun 13: Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).

Fri 18: Danny Lownes’ Hot Club @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Mark Williams Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00., £5.00. student.
Fri 18: Rivkala + Beccy Sloan @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.
Sat 19: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner: Nina Simone. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 19: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Wednesday, April 03, 2019

CD Review: Five Play - Live from the Firehouse Stage

Sherrie Maricle (MD/drums); Tomoko Ohno (piano); Noriko Uedo (bass); Jami Dauber (trumpet/flugelhorn); Janelle Reichman (tenor sax/clarinet).
(Review by Lance).

This one came out of left field and put me down for a nine-count! Maricle's T-Bone Special had me reeling. I mean, I've heard a few all-girl bands over the past year - at times I thought they were going to take over the jazz world and, with this disc, maybe they have!

A breakaway group from the world-renowned DIVA Jazz Orchestra the quintet comprises DIVA's rhythm section and two of its foremost soloists. In less enlightened times smart-arses would claim they could tell, on a blindfold test, whether the players were black or white/American or European. I wonder how they'd fayre on this one? Male or female? or would they just shrug and say that this is fantastic and who cares?


Recorded live at the Firehouse Stage in Johnson City, a small village in New York State, it's swing, it's hardbop, it's everything I want from a band. The pre-Trump administration State Department also agreed that it was what they wanted and, in 2013, sent the girls on a diplomatic mission just as, years ago, they'd despatched, Satchmo, Dizzy, Duke, BG, Brubeck and others. In 2013, Five Play performed in Vietnam.

France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Germany, Israel and Japan also had the pleasure of hearing my new favourite band - maybe, one day, the UK will be on their touring schedule.

All five are outstanding soloists; Reichman blows tenor like Dexter and clarinet like Benny but no, I'm wrong - Reichman blows like Reichman. Dauber is lyrical on flugel and a belter on trumpet. Ohno is merely super-terrific, Uedo, melodic as well as rhythmic - just hear what she does to Nancy's laughing face whilst leader Maricle sets the standard many drummers can only dream about!
Lance.
T-Bone Special*; Samba De Sorvete**; Just Squeeze Me; Uneven Pieces***; The Pilot**; Nancy (with the laughing face); Circles****; I Can't Give You Anything but Love; Unexpected****; The Time Being*.
* Comp. Maricle. ** Comp. Ohno. *** Comp. Uedo. **** Comp. Reichman.
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