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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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

Friday, August 02, 2019

CD Review: Luke Gillespie - Moving Mists

(Review by Dave Brownlow)

Luke Gillespie, a master pianist in both jazz and classical music, a Professor of Jazz Piano at Indiana University (Jacob School of Music), an international performer and an inspiring teacher in situ and on YouTube, very cleverly applies classical textures to jazz pieces - in other words he re-harmonises and re-constructs or re-invents jazz standards in a most inventive and thrilling way.

Among others, Gillespie’s voicings have echoes of Frederic Chopin, McCoy Tyner, Thelonious Monk and Cecil Taylor, whilst his harmonic choices are unusual and yet sound so ‘right’ in a jazz context.

The group comprises colleagues (past or present) who’re all thoroughly “at home” with his musical philosophy and provide great support in different combinations throughout the album. There are also two solo piano tracks.   Some of his work is a little reminiscent of a legendary figure from the past - Dick Twardzik - whose flame flickered briefly in the early ‘50s and who also chose a different musical path. (His muse was Bartok).  He caught the ear of Bird when he visited Boston who chose him for the piano chair in his quintet for some gigs.

 I Hear a Rhapsody: an ‘abrasive’ trio opener with a challenging ostinato bass line and compelling chordal choices together with unusual playing from the leader.

Blues For All: a lively play on Miles’ All Blues where an angular theme leads to charismatic solos from Raymond, Smith and Gillespie himself. Stalwart work from bassist Allen and drummer Houghton keeps us on track in the chord sequence while the soloists are up, out and away!

In the trio version of My Funny Valentine, Luke utilises the Brazilian ‘choro’ rhythmic style in a highly different arrangement utilising pedal points in the bass to create simply gorgeous harmonies and where the popular melody is treated with the greatest respect.

Coltrane’s Giant Steps has been a ‘test-piece’ for many aspiring would-be jazzers since it was written. Smith, Raymond and the leader are again featured in this no-holds-barred examination of the famous song. I would say all involved “pass with credit”!

Monk’s classic ‘Round Midnight sounds like a previously unknown Chopin Nocturne with the haunting melody re-harmonized in an out-of-this-world, ethereal version. Dizzy Gillespie’s often-used intro is cleverly interpolated into the solo. Simply wonderful….

The leader’s original piece Moving Mists uses the quartet set-up featuring Raymond on flugel, suggesting a Japanese influence - Luke grew up in Osaka - and has a thoughtful reflective ambience all through. 

Beautiful Love, sung by Tierney Sutton (a colleague at I.U.at the time), shows off another of Luke’s talents - that of accompanist. The haunting beauty of this track is spell-binding with the stark delivery of the song’s words enhanced by the pianist’s masterful keyboard support. Again, re-harmonization is at the core of the performance - different but so ‘right’….!

This I Dig of Grew is a Gillespie original for the septet, dedicated to pianist Mulgrew Miller, arranged by Brent Wallarab with a nod towards Hank Mobley’s This I Dig Of You. A  distinct “Blue Note” sound, more conventional in approach with fine, swinging solos from Stryker, Walsh, Harbison, Wallace and Coolman.

A second Wallarab arrangement is another Gillespie original DaNaBar which was written in 1984 for jazz educator David Baker’s composition class. Lovely solos from Walsh, Raymond, Smith and Gillespie show the respect Baker is held in by the group.
Finally, All the Things You Are beautifully, strangely re-harmonized and played solo by Gillespie, leaves the listener hanging in mid-air, wanting more …

This is such an interesting CD which is well-programmed with good contrasts from track-to-track. It has challenging, imaginative music brilliantly played by a first-class ensemble and is full of surprises.
This is my album of the month (July)
– a 5-star rating from me
Available now on PATOIS RECORDS - Patois PRCD025
Dave B.

Luke Gillespie (piano) + (Collective personnel): Jeremy Allen, Todd Coolman (bass); Steve Houghton (drums); John Raymond (trumpet/flugel); Walter Smith III (tenor sax); Tierney Sutton (vocal track 7); Tom Walsh (alto/sop saxes); Pat Harbison (trumpet), Wayne Wallace, Brennan Johns (trombone); Brent Wallarab (arr tracks 8 & 9).

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