Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (DownBeat May, 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

18504 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 368 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 7 ) 22

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

May

Mon 11: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 12: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Hey Remember This @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 14: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Philip Larkin’s Jazz Experiment.
Thu 14: Jerron Paxton @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb country blues.
Thu 14: Solcade @ the Bridge Hotel, Newcastle. 7:00pm. EP launch. Rivkala & co..
Thu 14: Jacob Egglestone @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Egglestone (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass); Jack Littlewood (drums) & guests.
Thu 14: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 15: Conor Emery Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Line-up Emery (trombone); Alix Shepherd (piano); John Pope (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 adv., £15.00 on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Puppini Sisters @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!

Sat 16: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. God Bless the Child - Lady Day!. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 16: Kaberry Big Band @ the Seahorse Pub, Hillheads Rd., Whitley Bay NE23 8HR. From 7:30pm. £15.00
Sat 16: Lady Nade @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. ‘Lady Nade sings Nina Simone’.

Sun 17: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Forum Theatre, Billingham. 7:30pm.
Sun 17: QOW Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Spike Wells, Riley Stone-Lonergan & Eddie Myer.

Friday, June 14, 2019

CD Review: David Stryker - Eight Track III


David Stryker (guitar); Stefon Harris (vibraphone); Jared Gold (organ); McLenty Hunter (drums); Mayra Casales (congas and percussion).
(Review by Hugh C).

David Stryker is an in-demand guitarist and educator based in NYC.  His two previous “Eight Track” releases were in 2013 and 2016.  Stefon Harris reminded Stryker that they needed to complete the Trilogy, an idea he could only say yes to.  The concept of all three albums was to take “classic melodies from the 70s” and “put my own stamp on them through the arrangements and playing”. 

Move on Up (Curtis Mayfield) – Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone (Norman Whitfield & Barrett Strong) -   Pretzel Logic (Walter Becker & Donald Fagen) – Too High (Stevie Wonder) are lively and poppy, led by Stryker on guitar with thoughtful assistance from Gold on Hammond-style organ and Harris on vibes.  We’ve Only Just Begun (Roger Nichols & Paul H. Williams) is the classic ballad with soulful contributions from guitar, and vibes.

This Guy’s In Love With You (Burt Bacharach & Hal David) – Everybody Loves the Sunshine (Roy Ayers) – After the Dance (Marvin Gaye & Leon Ware) continue the set with a return to the tempo and feel of the first four tracks.   Joy Inside My Tears (Stevie Wonder) provides the slow dance at the end of the prom.

The playing is crisp with a driving groove set by the powerhouse of Hunter’s drums and Casales’ percussion.  The overall sound is pleasant enough and well delivered – harmless, but not groundbreaking.  The Eight Track concept partly derives from Stryker’s experience as a high school kid driving around with an eight-track in his van.  Perhaps I have trouble with the concept as, despite being born the same year as Stryker, I never felt the need for an eight-track – cassettes, yes; vinyl (in its day), yes.  CDs, yes – although (poetic justice perhaps) my usual player refused to play the review disc and I had to listen to it on my laptop CD/DVD drive.

The accompanying press release suggests the CD should be filed under JAZZ, given that this is effectively a ‘70s tribute, perhaps EASY LISTENING would be more appropriate!
Hugh C
Eight Track III has been released by Strikezone Records (Catalogue No. 8818).
cdbaby.
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