Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

CD Review: Mette Juul - Change

Mette Juul (vocals, guitar); Ulf Wakenius, Gilad Hekselman, Per Mollehoj (guitars); Lars Danielsson (bass, cello, cymbals); Heine Hansen (piano, Rhodes, celeste, harmonica).
(Review by Ann Alex)

Mette Juul, a native Scandinavian songwriter, guitarist and jazz singer releases her fourth CD. And what a delightful listening experience it is! 

Five original songs and eight standards based on the theme of 'change'. The music was recorded in Juul's own home and also in New York and Sweden in an informal fashion, though anchored by Juul's voice and guitar. There are just 2 or 3 musicians on each track, giving the music an intimate 'feel' with genuine emotion. Ms Juul's voice is a pleasing expressive alto and every word is clear.

1/ Beautiful Love:  A sensuous, intimate interpretation with some pleasant wordless vocalisation.
2/ At Home (There is a Song): An original. 'This is a joyful place, come as you are', she sings and adds
 some gentle scat.
3/ Get Out Of Town: A difficult song to interpret (I've tried!) and Ms Juul does it with a touch of menace from bowed bass and cello, very exciting and atmospheric.

4/ It Might Be Time To Say Goodbye:  An original about ending a love affair but having last minute doubts, with a suitably contemplative piano accompaniment.
5/ Double Rainbow: A Jobim tune, a bossa featuring both acoustic and jazz guitars.
6/ Just Friends:  A sad love song, sung touchingly, with guitar soloing and a bass accompaniment.

7/ I'm Moving On: A song about spreading your wings, with a bright airy, starry feel provided by the celeste.
8/ Dindi: Another Jobim Latin number with light percussion which sounds like lapping water, and also guitar.
9/ Young Song: An original with a rather hymn-like tune and featuring a harmonica solo and interesting lyrics 'What is perfect love? Is it just a picture in a magazine?'

10/ Without a Song: I've always considered this a rather trite lyric unworthy of the tune but our singer manages to make it 'live'.
11/ Northern Woods: An original about finding peace among trees, and the guitar echoes the vocal line.
12/ The Peacocks (A Timeless Place): Lyrics by no less a person than Norma Winstone (music Jimmy Rowles). Love as an illusion, with voice and guitar, and also bass at the end.

13/ Evening Song:  An original which is very suitable as the last track. All about the close of day, contemplative.

This CD is highly recommended and it was released on September 6th by Universal Music.
See www.mette-juul.com
Ann Alex
at

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