Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 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

19,105 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 969 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Nov. 14) 39.

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

November

Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Jacob Egglestone, Paul Grainger, Joe Deans.
Tue 17: Grammy Season (Laubrock/Seabrook/Lovato/Rainey) @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm. JNE.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 19: Papa G’s Troves @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 19: Marina Josephina @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £10.60; £10.60.; £8.50 Early Bird.

Fri 20: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: The Music of Duke Ellington @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Customs House Big Band @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.

Sat 21: Pete Tanton Duo @ Awesome Frank’s, West Jesmond Metro Station, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.00.
Sat 21: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Westovian Theatre, South Shields. 7:30pm. £18.00.

Sun 22: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. ‘Celebrating Coltrane’.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Groovetrain @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00.
Sun 22: Red Kites Jazz @ Beat ‘n’ Track Café, High Spen. 5:00pm.
Sun 22: Knats @ The Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe. 7:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Sun 22: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Smiodair @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

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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