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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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

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 w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
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: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick TD15 1AS. 7:30pm. Free. Album launch gig.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

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

Friday, November 29, 2019

CD Review: Anne Phillips – Live At The Jazz Bakery


Anne Phillips (vocals); Roger Kellaway (piano); Bob Kindred (tenor sax); Chuck Berghoffer (bass).
(Review by Ann Alex).

Anne Phillips issued a promising debut album, Born To Be Blue, back in 1959 but, surprisingly, didn't do a follow-up until 2000. In between she was singing behind the scenes in commercial music and writing songs for shows and adverts. Then lately, she appeared at LA's famed Jazz Bakery, doing this live recording of standards and some of her own songs and giving an entertaining spoken account of her life and times.


Instrumentalists first, lest I short change them. Sax and piano really stood out on this CD – Kindred on sax happens to be our singer's husband - they must rehearse for hours at home to reach this standard of well integrated performance. For instance, Born To Be Blue gives us effective lines from sax, tender higher tones and deep darker nuances, to reflect both the thrill and the heartache. On Easy Street the sax produces whimsical low tones during his solo to suit the mood, in fact the instrument, via the player, almost talks to the listener.

The piano – the legend that is Roger Kellaway - is similarly expressive. Any singer that has Kellaway on her team has a two goal start. On Phillips’ own song I'm Gonna Lay My Heart On The Line, a tasty swinger, the bass does, well what basses are supposed to do, keeping the hearts on the line, with a solo on the final track, which then ends with a fat chord from everyone.

Ms Phillips sings in a stylish alto and chats engagingly between songs, pointing out that the emergence of rock 'n roll interfered with her singing career but didn't stop her working. Her own songs are: I'm Gonna Lay My Heart On The Line; Watching You Watching Me; Hey Look Where I Am; New York Night Time Blues; To Make Them Like Me; Another Day Without Him; After All These Years (with P Brody). Various styles are covered, such as blues, cabaret and a children's song - To Make Them Like Me - sung as a waltz.

The standards are Born To Be Blue; Easy Street: Embraceable You; There Will Never Be Another You.

A very enjoyable CD, on  Conawago Records 1014. See www.annephillips.com
Ann Alex  

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