Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Northern Edge Coffee, Silver St., Berwick. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Thursday, May 09, 2019

CD Review: Alvin Queen Trio - OP (A Tribute to Oscar Peterson)

Alvin Queen (drums); Zier Romme Larsen (piano); Ida Hvid (bass)
(Review by Lance)

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery wrote Charles Caleb Colton in the early 1800s. Close on a couple of 100 years later, John Mason wrote Imitation is Limitation. Listening to this delightful tribute to the late Oscar Peterson both sides could make a case. The word tribute itself is defined as an act, statement or gift that is intended to show gratitude, respect or admiration. Well, it is certainly all of those things as Peterson's daughter Celine points out in the blurb. She continues and explains that Alvin Queen created this powerful musical statement as a gift to her dad showing his deep gratitude for the time they were able to spend together performing all over the world.
Amen to that.

Queen, who was part of one of the great Canadian pianist's trios (was he before or after Martin Drew?) drives this disc along as he no doubt did with the maestro. Indeed maestro could be equally applied to Larsen - he has absorbed the inspiration and, in the process, become his own man.

The repertoire includes nine Peterson originals. Oscar's faith is expressed very profoundly in Larsen's interpretations of Jesus Christ Lies Here Tonight; The Last Supper and Hymn to Freedom. These are beautiful beyond words but, if you want to get your kicks without hitting Route 66 then It Happened in Monterey will supply the fix. This swings like as though there was no tomorrow!

Reunion Blues is a classic mid-tempo 12 bar with Queen putting the boot in and Ida holding her own against Oscar's illustrious bass players. One of them, Ray Brown, composed Gravy Waltz and it was Queen who got the gravy on this one.

It doesn't get any better than this!
Lance.
Sushi; Nightingale; Jesus Christ Lies Here Tonight; Wheatland; Hero; Cake Walk; You Look Good to Me; The Last Supper; Soon; When Summer Comes; It Happened in Monterey; Reunion Blues; Gravy Waltz; Hymn to Freedom.
Available May 10 - CD or LP on Stunt Records.
at

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive