Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 2025).

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

17680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 23 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Jan. 9).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Mon 13: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 13: Raymond MacDonald & Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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

Monday, June 03, 2019

CD Review: Hazel Mitchell-Bell - Stronger Than Ever

(Review by Ann Alex).

The debut album from a singer who has been featured in many shows around Washington DC, including the Westminster Jazz night series. Ms. Mitchell-Bell has been involved with many genres of music and this CD includes both jazz standards and R&B hits. It features a string quartet, some electronic wizardry - mainly a pleasant synthesizer sound.

I enjoyed the CD on the whole and the instrumental playing was very good, as is the case with just about every album featuring a singer. However, I wasn't completely comfortable with the vocals on some tracks. The voice sometimes sounded a bit strident to my ears. I wondered if the singer had been involved in musical theatre where the voice has to be projected throughout a large auditorium, whereas singing jazz in a studio is quite different.

That said, I liked the voice on tracks such as the Nina Simone hit, Four Women, a song about strong women of different races; the voice is sweeter and more natural-sounding on Feel Like Making Love, and also on I Wish You Love, with a fast walking bass and an interesting extended ending with repetition of 'I wish you love'. Willow Weep For Me also works well, starting with just voice and bass, sung freely with feeling, then a bass solo. One Note Samba is quirky, the way it works best, and includes a sax solo and effective scat.

The other tracks are: Autumn Leaves; Everything Must Change; Louisiana Sunday Afternoon; Rio de Janeiro Blue; Skylark; The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face; Let There Be Love; The Makings of You.
Ann Alex.
The CD was self-released on May 3 and is available via all fine retailers.
  
Hazel Mitchell-Bell (vocals); Craig Alston (saxes, flute); Chris Barrick (vibraphones); Vince Evans (piano, keys, programming); Robert Fiester (guitar); James B King Jr. (bass); J C Jefferson (drums); Asali Ruth McIntyre (violin); Bonnie Grier (violin); Gerard Battle (viola); Denna Purdie (cello); Kim Sator Randolph (harp).

No comments :

Blog Archive