Bebop Spoken There

John Donegan: ''What you take in through your ears can come out through your fingers.'' (Notes to Which Direction October, 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

19,030 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 894 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 22) 73.

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

October.

Mon 26: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 26: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 27: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. guest Julija Jacenaite.
Tue 27: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Wed 28: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 28: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 28: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 29: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 29: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 29: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 29: Simon Taylor Band @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. £8.00.
Thu 29: King Bees @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

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.

Sat 31: Saltburn Big Band + Durham Alumni Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Sat 31: East Coast Swing Band @ Cramlington Village Club, Park View, Cramlington NE23 6QJ. 7:30pm. £10.00. (from venue).

November

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Donna Hewitt (tenor sax, clarinet)
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Sarah Heneghan Trio : The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Monday, June 03, 2019

CD Review: Andrew McCormack - Graviton: The Calling


(Review by Russell)

Andrew McCormack's Graviton has been in the studio to record a second album. The Calling on the prolific Ubuntu label features ten of the bandleader's compositions interpreted by voice (Noemi Nuti), tenor sax (rising star Josh Arcoleo), electric bass (one of two, Tom Herbert and Robin Mullarkey) and drums (Joshua Blackmore). 

A running time of close on forty-nine minutes, The Calling takes the listener on a journey, a journey McCormack likens to that of the classic hero's urge to explore knowing catastrophic consequences await. The narrative arc is McCormack's creation, would it be apparent to the listener/reviewer without explanatory notes? The first track - Uroboros* - opens with portentous gong-like tones decorated by the pianist's light-of-touch probings. And so the journey begins. 

Magic Mentor, The King is Blind, Belly of the Whale - a musical journey traversing a landscape inhabited by kings and dragons is largely confined to the foothills of McCormack's imagined kingdom with occasional assaults on the highest peaks. Tenor saxophonist Josh Arcoleo strikes out on Crossing the Threshold in an attempt to reach the summit accompanied by the soaring vocals of Noemi Nuti with bassist Mullarkey maintaining a presence at base camp. 

* Uroboros is (thanks to an internet search engine) of Greek origin - a circular symbol representing a serpent eating its tail.            
Russell.
Andrew McCormack's Graviton: The Calling is released on Friday (June 7) on Ubuntu Music (UBU0025). There is an album launch gig at London's Vortex (June 13) with further tour dates during the summer. 

 Andrew McCormack (piano); Noemi Nuti (vocals); Josh Arcoleo (tenor sax); Tom Herbert (electric bass); Robin Mullarkey (electric bass); Joshua Blackmore (drums)
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