Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). 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: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Sat 22: Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham Alumni All Stars + Swing Manouche @ Darlington Market Place. From 1:00pm. Free. The All Stars (1:00pm); The Alumni (2:00-4:00pm); Swing Manouche (4:15pm).

Friday, October 25, 2019

CD Review: Carmen Souza - The Silver Messengers


Carmen Souza (guitar/piano/vocals); Benjamin Burrell (piano); Theo Pascal (bass/bass guitar); Elias Kacomanolis (drums/perc) + Zoe Pascal (drums); Jonathan Idiagbonya (piano); Sebastian Sheriff  (perc).
(Review by Lance).

A perky tribute to Horace Silver by a London based Cape Verdean singer. Although it is anything but reverential in approach, the end product is  probably worth the somewhat different take on Silver's music that Souza embarks on.

Silver also had a Cape Verdean heritage so perhaps he would approve of this fusion of jazz and Cape Verdean rhythms and influences. It's quite hypnotic with a kind of Latinish disco feel and certainly danceable as well as being ok on the ear too.

Souza's vocals have a whimsical edge to them, a laid back sound over a pulsating rhythm, that sort of grabs you the way, in a different context, that Chet Baker, Blossom Dearie and Shirley Horn did.

You're not going to hear the Jazz Messengers, despite the title, but don't let that put you off. The pianists and the rhythm section convey their own message and, of course, Carmen delivers it.

Señor Blues is sultry, the way she rolls her 'rs' -  senorrrritas fall for him - is particularly sensuous. Methinks a cold shower is called for! 

Many of the lyrics are in Portuguese which only adds to the mystique.

The music is great (including a couple of originals by Souza and Theo Pascal alongside the nine Silver standards) as long as you aren't expecting a trumpet/tenor hard bop blast. It's billed as jazz/world music which more or less pigeon holes it. It remains for you, the listener, to define where you think it belongs.

Jazz? World? - I'll settle for Music!
Lance.

Soul Searching; The Jody Grind; Señor Blues; Nutville; Lady Musika; St. Vitus Dance; Pretty Eyes; Kathy; Song For my Father; Cape Verdean Blues; Silver Blues.
Available today October 25 - usual suspects.

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