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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 23 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Jan. 9).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Mon 13: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 13: Raymond MacDonald & Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £TBC.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ 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

Saturday, October 19, 2019

CD Review: Voctave - Somewhere There's Music

Kate Lott, Tiffany Coburn, Ashley Espinoza, Sarah Whittemore, Chrystal Johnson, E. J.Cardona, Tony De Rosa, Kurt von Schmittou, Jacob C Fullerton, Karl Hudson (voices), Jamey Ray (voice/arrangements)
(Review by Lance)

I'll be honest and hold my hand up and admit that I wasn't in the mood for reviewing. I opted, instead, to relax with a game of computer chess (intermediate level). I decided some innocuous background noise would help my levels of concentration so I flipped this on to the player and went for a tried and tested Ruy Lopez opening. However, I hadn't got beyond P-K4 (e4 in algebraic notation) when Flash! Bang! Alakazam! chess was forgotten and I resigned before my robotic opponent had replied!

Yes, Orange Colored Sky was the opening number on the CD and the sound, the harmonies, the arrangement the amazing range of the singers had me reeling - this was the choir to end all choirs. Six men and five women from Central Florida singing 13 GASbook classics a cappella.

Maybe purists ancient and modern will dispute its jazz credibility, so be it, although if Jamey Ray's arrangements had been scored for instruments as opposed to voices they'd think differently! 

Listen to how On the Sunny Side of the Street is cleverly interwoven with Give Me the Simple Life.

Apart from the individual tracks there are two medleys. The first is dedicated to the Andrews Sisters - In the Mood; Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree; Sing, Sing, Sing; Mele Kalikimaka; Rum and Coca Cola & The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy From Company B. The second is a tribute to Ella - How High the Moon; A-Tisket, A-Tasket & I'm Beginning to See the Light. Both are absolute killers!

Some numbers feature individuals. Kate Lott displays her amazing range and breath control on Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. Chrystal Johnson injects new life into My Funny Valentine and Karl Hudson impresses on I'll Be Seeing You.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow; Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah; Moon River; The Summer Knows and Smile are the other gems along with a bonus track - Won't You Be My Neighbor - a song related to Rollins College where Voctave were recently named as Artists-In-Residence.

Check this out - it's merely fantastic - on Spotify or try/buy samples.
Lance.

3 comments :

Liz said...

Quite wonderful, just loved it, where do you find these gems?

Lance said...

They find me!

Liz said...

And you pass the information on, must buy it thanks so much Lance!

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