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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

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: MOBO Song @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free, performances on the concourse. Line-up inc. Jazz Attack (on stage time TBC) & Jambone (12:20pm).
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt 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. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 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

Thursday, September 19, 2019

CD/LP Review: Doc Bowling & his Blues Professors - Cosmopolitan Soul

(Review by Lance)

Regarded by many as London's top contemporary blues band which, some may argue, means the UK's number 1, Doc Bowling and his Professors do nothing to change that view with this vinyl offering (also available on CD and download).

This isn't one of those "Well I woke up this mornin' bands" although they obviously did. The material, however, is more in tune with today with the overall feel being an appeal for racial integration.

Cosmopolitan Soul: A funky pulse with JB Horns style brass and a blistering sax solo from Fox.

She Noh Nah: Fox blows again here. The feel is of early Manfred Mann and some paintstripping trumpet from Braun takes it out.

Black White and Blue: Another plea for equality from the Doc with some fancy feline fiddlin'.

MLK was a Trekkie: MLK - Martin Luther King - explores the universe on the Starship Enterprise...

Hitler's Favourite Cowboy:.. and if you thought the last title was bizarre... That old country favourite Ghost Riders in the Sky provides the melody for this one. To think Hitler's favourite author (Karl May) wrote westerns. Not only that - he was a pacifist!

Stop and Search Yourself: A counterblast to the overuse of police powers on top of the Elmore James riff appropriated by Fleetwood Mac.

The Loving Blues: A jaunty country blues that bounces along beneath the more serious and, ultimately law-changing story of a mixed race married couple in Virginia who were jailed for being married to each other. This was actually based around the true story of Richard and Mildred Loving whose case was heard by the US Supreme Court resulting in interracial marriage no longer being seen as a criminal act - even in Virginia.

Blue Mambo: A dancy, Latin 12 bar with solos from the horns of Johannes Sahmland Bowling and Laurent Dumoulin.

High Speed Train Blues: Paradoxically a mega slow lament based on  Leroy Carr's How Long Blues relocated to Kings Cross. Blues drenched Hammond B3 and wailing guitar remain faithful to the original but we, the listeners/travellers, are still waiting for HS2.

Laius' Lament: Not many blues deal with the Oedipus complex and those (if any!) that do aren't usually recited in BBC announcer's English. Strange? Yes, but the quasi Oxford accent only adds to its quirky appeal.

The Blue Waltz: Based on Leadbelly's Irene Goodnight it's also a personal expression of love by Doc B.
The final line says it all: So, while we still have breath, we just have to keep dancing.

A great band - let somebody put up the Thunderbird wine, a couple of  '57 pick-up trucks, a fistful of dollars and bring 'em north of the Johnson-Corbyn Line.
Lance

Doc Bowling (guitar, vocals, harmonica); Donnie Burke (lead/baritone/slide guitars, banjo, backing vocals); Simon Minney (bass, backing vocals); Roger Chapman (drums - 8 tracks -, percussion, backing vocals) + Graham Hadley (drums - 3 tracks); Louie Watson (percussion, backing vocals); Susi Sahmland (backing vocals); Sophie Loyer* (violin); Johannes Sahmland Bowling (alto/tenor sax - 4 tracks); Rainer Fox (alto/baritone sax - 2 tracks); Martin Sander, Frank Braun, Laurent Dumoulin (trumpet on various tracks); Jens Skwirblies (Hammond - 2 tracks); Eddie Kulak (piano - 3 tracks); Kenny Bruno (piano - 1 track); Melania Wicks (voiceover - 1 track).

* Aka Mlle Chat Noir

1 comment :

Patti said...

And who can resist a CD review like this! I've just ordered one - available from CDBaby!

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