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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

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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.

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

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

CD Review: Ricardo Peixoto - Scary Beautiful

(Review by Steve T)

Back in the days of jazz-funk, I was really into acoustic guitarist Earl Klugh though - in hindsight - as a disciple of George Benson and his association with Bob James they were always going to condemn him to the scorn that would subsequently be heaped on smooth jazz.

On first hearing this, I was immediately reminded of Mr Klugh, though those who summarily dismiss smooth jazz need not be put off. Like everything else, the boundaries of what constitutes smooth jazz is not a fixed point but is fluid amongst listeners and many who generally hate the sub-genre may find lots to enjoy.

Although his native Brazil permeates everything here, he's classically trained and also studied at Berklee alongside Pat Metheny and Gary Burton and has played and recorded with Airto, Flora Purim, Dom Um Romao and others.

Circles features an acoustic guitar. soprano sax front-line.

Santos E Demonios has an acoustic guitar/ flute front-line - and the flute will play a prominent role throughout - with percussion well to the fore.

The title track features more flute and a classical string quartet.

Nereids follows and, at a little over a minute long, features fine choral vocals from Claudia Villela.

Morro da Paixao is my favourite track, featuring a prolific three piece horn section giving propulsion and a slight big band feel, a flugelhorn solo following the guitar solo, the leader comping behind it with the sax and trombone chipping in.

Simpatica is an acoustic guitar, piano duet and I've recently had my head turned to the possibilities of this line-up.

Pixinguinga returns to a classical format, heavy on woodwinds (flute, bass clarinet and oboe) and no rhythm section.

Velha Amizade returns a standard rhythm section plus under-stated percussion, flute and Peixoto switching between acoustic and electric, though firmly on the acoustic side of semi-acoustic.

The penultimate track is Noturna and is a solo acoustic guitar piece which could have been Steve Howe on an early Yes album.

Finally, it's back to some oomph with Balao De Tres, with a great catchy melody, flute coming in for the second run through.  

At forty six minutes, it's a nice length for an album and, with plenty of variety on offer, this is the best album I've reviewed in some time and by a long way.
Already available on CD and digital. 
Steve T.

Ricardo Peixoto - acoustic and electric guitars.

Ken Cook, Marcus Silva (piano); Cliff Hugo, Scott Thompson, Aaron Germain (bass); Rafael Barata, Kendrick Freeman, Mike Shapiro (drums); Bob Afifi (flute); Paul McCandless (soprano sax); Harvey Wainapel (bass clarinet); Jesse Sadoc (flugelhorn); Marcelo Martins (tenor sax); Aldivas Ayres (trombone); Paul Hanson ( bassoon); Kyle Bruchman (oboe), Rob Reich (accordion); Luiz Brasil (tenor guitar, percussion); John Santos, Brian Rice, Ricardo Guerra (percussion); Bernardo Bessler, Priscilla Platea Rato (violins); Marie Christine Bessler (viola); Marcus Ribeiro de Oliveira (cello); Claudia Villela (voice). 

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