Total Pageviews

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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ 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

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!

Blog Archive