Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18897 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 11.) 40.

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

September.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).

Fri 18: Danny Lownes’ Hot Club @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Mark Williams Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00., £5.00. student.
Fri 18: Rivkala + Beccy Sloan @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.
Sat 19: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner: Nina Simone. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 19: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.

Tuesday, November 05, 2019

Sunday Shopping

(By Lance)

Apart from the music, the real ale and the jazz talk with friends old and new, one of the highlights of the CJP is the CD stall. The live music may be closer to ragtime than bebop but the record stall knows no such boundaries and, apart from albums by the performers - Christmas is coming and we have the perfect stocking filler for you routine (that phrase always makes me think that they must think that our friends have funny shaped legs) - there were albums covering eras from the past to the present and beyond. I half expected to find a couple of cylinders by Buddy Bolden but maybe Dave Kerr beat me to it.

Now, despite the pile of review CDs awaiting their turn (oh he's still not harping on about that I hear you say) I found myself splashing out for three gems that I somehow never got around to buying back in the day.


Billie Holiday's Songs For Distingué Lovers was dismissed by some of the critics when it first came out not long before her death but, to my ears, it's as good as anything she did in her earlier years. The voice is stronger and more assertive without losing that plaintive and emotional quality that was there irrespective of the era. Super solos by Ben Webster, Sweets Edison, Barney Kessel, Jimmy Rowles and that most underrated drummer Alvin Stoller made this the real deal when it comes to the classic jazz vocal album.

Talking of classic line-ups, they don't come much better than (collectively) the players on Benny Carter's Further Definitions & Additions to Further Definitions. Carter, Bud Shank and Phil Woods on alto saxes, Coleman Hawkins, Teddy Edwards, Buddy Collette, Bill Perkins and Charlie Rouse on tenor, Bill Hood on baritone. Plus a rhythm section that collectively includes Don Abney (piano); Barney Kessel, John Collins and Mundell Lowe (guitars); Ray Brown (bass) and, once more, Alvin Stoller (drums). Great, easily identifiable musicians, blowing on some good tunes all arranged by Benny Carter.
 
The final five quider that I picked up - Charles Mingus & Friends in Concert - is another blast. How could it not be with guys like Dizzy, Faddis, Konitz, Moody, Mulligan, Ammons, McPherson, Randy Weston, Milt Hinton and a whole gang of others taking the roof of Lincoln Center. I don't know where I was on February 4, 1972, but I know where I would liked to have been!
Lance
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