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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. POSSIBLE CANCELLATION. See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

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

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

CD Review: Wendy Kirkland - The Music's On Me

Wendy Kirkland (piano & voice); Pat Sprakes (guitar); Paul Jefferies (bass/bass guitar); Steve Wyndham (drums) + Roger Beaujolais  (vibes); Tommaso Starace (saxes)
(Review by Lance)

The much anticipated second
album from Kirkland has arrived and it doesn't disappoint! How could it? A voice to dream about, sparkling piano solos, a swinging band and a mix of originals, jazz standards and some not yet overdone gassers make this an album deserved of repeated playing.
Kirkland gives the words - whether they're her own or someone else's meaning and, when dispensing with words the singing is more than mere scatting it's another instrument to slot in over her piano playing.

Guitarist Sprakes combined with Kirkland on the originals as well as soloing effectively. Beaujolais peppers the album with a couple of tasty blasts and Starace is always handy to have around.

Sprakes and Kirkland's The Music's On Me and the standard Haven't We Met? set the standard and the standard is high.

Duke Pearson's Sandalia Dela, sung in Portuguese, and which, to my untutored ear, sounds quite authentic.

Russell Malone provided Playground, Wendy the words and Beaujolais the vibrant vibes. 

Nothing Like You from Bob Dorough and Fran Landesman. I felt this number was worthy of more than the 1:30 of its existence. Nevertheless, Wendy sped through the tune effectively in the time allotted and the intro with just voice and brushes rather special.

Michel Petrucciani's September Second featured Starace on alto and Jefferies on bass. Words once more by Wendy. 7:48 on this one.

West Coast Blues. The Wes Montgomery classic is best known for the lyric by Sascha Burland that was  popularised by Nancy Wilson and many other singers since. However, Wendy has elected to pen her own words although the tune remains the same. Difficult to listen to a song with different words to what you're used to - it takes time.

O Gato Molhado a Sprakes/Kirkland original. Portuguese/English lyric.

Sunday in New York. One of my all-time favourite songs sung delightfully with lyrical guitar and piano solos. Even if she never opened her mouth this girl would be a star. 

The appropriately titled original, Travelling Home brings the disc to a close but not before Starace has had his say on soprano sax.

I frequently comment on the number of women vocalists that appear almost overnight and, nine times out of ten they are excellent. Wendy Kirkland keeps the standard high with the bonus of her piano skills helping to keep her ahead of the pack.

Book her somebody - I don't want to have to go down to Cleethorpes (Sept.28) or any of these other faraway places.
Outstanding.
Lance.
CD now available (click here).
Album launch @ Pizza Express, Dean St., Soho on Saturday (July 27).

1 comment :

Alan Parker said...

I agree wholeheartedly with your review of this album. There is some very tasteful playing and Wendy's vocal acumen is outstanding in every aspect --including the Portuguese!
A really excellent album which I would thoroughly recommend and, as you say, it would be great if she came up this part of the country, although I have nothing against Cleethorpes or Chesterfield!

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