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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00. CANCELLED!

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

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, November 13, 2019

CD Review: Buddy Rich - Just in Time: The Final Recording

(Review by Lance). 

This is a monster of an album and, if you want to remember the world's greatest drummer leading what many consider to have been one of the world's greatest big bands ever, then your Christmas present problems are solved. Buy one, gift wrap it and post it to yourself. 

So many of the greats, sadly, didn't leaves us on a high - age is cruel in that respect - but with Buddy he left on as high a note as is possible.

Swingin' New Big Band, Big Swing Face, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy and all those other albums are great and belong in any big band buff's collection - as does this!

I well remember first hearing the band live at Ronnie's in the early '70s. The club was undergoing renovation work and it was far removed from the suave establishment it is today. Buddy quipped: "First time I've played on a building site."

I heard the band several more times at venues such as City Hall, Newcastle, Dominion Theatre, Tottenham Court Rd. and, of course, that legendary appearance at Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough. They were great concerts but didn't quite match that memorable evening at Ronnie Scott's.

On this CD the band is back at Ronnie's and, with the builders and the scaffolding long gone, Buddy lays down his legacy with what must surely be one of the best big band albums   outside of Ellington - and maybe not that far away either!

Greg Gisbert blows great trumpet and Steve Marcus sizzles on tenor, particularly on Good News which was missing from my promo but which I tracked down - Buddy has a bash too!  -whilst the alto solos by Bob Bowlby are, for a better word, fantastic!

Recorded in 1986 it blows just about every big band from around that time  - including Woody Herman - out of the water and Woody had a great band too!

Yes, there is no West Side Story medley but yes, there is a Porgy and Bess medley which follows the same formula. The greatest ever drummer? Certainly the greatest I've ever heard.

Buddy's daughter Cathy, apart from writing about her dad in the notes*, sings Twisted - a voice far removed from the precocious teenager who sang The Beat Goes on back in the early days. The girl in 1986 was now a young woman who gives Twisted the best work out since  Annie Ross added the words.

The music is available December 6 via the usual outlets.
Lance

Buddy Rich (drums); Eric Miyashiro, Kevin Richardson, Greg Gisbert, Dana Watson (trumpets);  Rick Trager, Tom Garling, Jim Martin (trombones); Bob Bowlby, Mike Rubino, Steve Marcus, Chris Bacas, Jay Craig (reeds); Matt Harris (piano); Rob Amster (bass); Cathy Rich (vocals).

* [Cathy] Speaking about the album and the night of its recording, pianist Matt Harris, says that the lead trumpet player, Eric Miyashiro, had split his lip a week or so before that gig and was in a lot of pain when he was playing. You certainly can’t hear it on the recording... Like any of the road bands in that time period, it was always very exciting to record with the band. It made a lot of the other gigs worth it when you finally recorded, and it also documented the band in its true element.

Recording studios can be very intimidating for musicians as opposed to a live gig where you’re putting it all on the line. I’m also vividly remembering Greg Gisbert’s amazing playing night after night. He always was trying different things which is extremely difficult when you play the same tune night after night.

I think this recording showcases the band at its highest level. You cannot get great studio musicians to sound like this. This recording is the sound of a “road band” unlike any other! 

Just In Time: The Final Recording will be available across 4 physical formats and digitally.

As well as standard double LP and standard CD, there will also be a special collector’s edition of the album, on triple gatefold vinyl and double gatefold CD, with over 30 minutes of bonus content from the night of the performance, including the incredible extended drum solo from the show’s encore.
Cathy.

3 comments :

Anonymous said...

The worlds greatest drummmer? Obviously it's an opinion but Elvin? Tony?

Lance said...

The Buddy Rich Orchestra toured the UK in December1986. The tour, which ran from Dec.17 -22 culminated at Ronnie's on December 22 which suggests that to be the actual date of the recording. Info from Jazz Express magazine.

Jack said...

I just listened to this cd. It is a really good cd. Buddy's perfomance of course is perfect as usual. There is no way you could tell he was 69 as opposed to say....49..still had the speed and cleanliness that he always had and the band is very tight! I would suggest buying this to everyone!

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