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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

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

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.

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

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Liane Carroll @ Ronnie Scott's - December 26

(Review by Dave Clarke)

I’ll spare you a review of a really excellent Christmas Eve performance of Hackney Empire’s ‘Dick Whittington’ despite loads of fun for all ages and original music by one S. Edis. Could this be Tyneside’s Paul Edis under another first name with a finger in yet another pie we wondered?

I can’t say we devoted much if any of a beautifully sunny Christmas Day to the Edis conundrum and even when Boxing Day dawned 7wet and windy our thoughts were firmly on our adult Christmas treat to come that night at Ronnie’s in Soho.

“House Full” said the sign on the door when we alighted outside number 47 Frith Street, and full and festive the house most certainly was. On the walls on each side of the stage were two large, red, electronic wreaths, one above the other. From all over the club came warm red glows from dozens of small table lamps and moving around the club the serving staff in black with scarlet braces carried the festive atmosphere with them.

Liane Carroll’s set began with Roger Carey on bass guitar and Russell Field on drums alone on stage playing a funky duo introduction until their boss joins them on piano and then on voice and the whole trio goes into a raunchy Love for Sale. Without a pause they’re into Fever and Liane the soul-inflected singer is suddenly scatting at full speed like Sarah Vaughan or Ella Fitzgerald. More scatting follows on Almost Like Being in Love from her successful ‘Seaside’ album, and more adventurous piano playing.

By this early point in the show it’s already becoming apparent that there are a number of different, musical, Liane Carrolls. When she stops playing to talk to a group in the audience from the band’s home town of Hastings we discover yet another Liane: something akin to a Cockney music hall comedian. “We’re all from Hastings” she explains to the rest of us, “a small drugs town with a big fishing problem.”

Yet another Ms Carroll emerges: a straight, simple and moving ballad singer on her treatment of the Tom Waits’ song Silly Boy before the band move into a thorough de-construction of Doris Day’s My Secret Love with great solos from Roger Carey on bass and a particularly fevered one from drummer Russell Field which sets sections of the audience to clapping in time.

The first set was spectacularly rounded off with a pair of songs by another great female singer/pianist, the late Nina Simone. Liane first gave a great reading on both piano and vocally of My Baby Just Cares for me before leading her band into a fast, furious and thorough work – out on Sinner Man.

The final set presented us with Liane Carroll the musical host as she welcomed to the stage three very different guests, even dispensing with her trio for several tunes. First up was Jamie Safir (heard earlier) demonstrating his skills as an accompanist as Liane gave a moving performance of Make Someone Happy. A couple of tunes later and again minus bass and drums, an Irish friend met at Sligo Jazz Festival - William Byrne - sang solo on Smile, and then, with Liane Carroll and the trio, James Taylor’s You Got A Friend. The final guest number and, excepting the encore the night’s final tune, was a medley of blues tunes. Liane Carroll was in her element (well one of them!) both vocally and on piano and was excellently accompanied by her final guest Pete Cripps on harp and, as she had been all night, by Roger Carey (bass guitar) and Russell Field (drums).

The applause at the end of the show said it all. This lady is a great British jazz artist and a great entertainer. A fabulous way to spend Boxing Day!

Earlier, on stage for a 45 minute set, was a trio led by the young pianist and composer Jamie Safir, a prominent member of the UK jazz scene and equally in demand in the UK and Europe for work in pop and soul music – later to be heard with Liane. Joining Jamie were the no-less-busy Conor Chaplin on bass and Luke Tomlinson on drums. Jamie provided two attractive original compositions for the trio and terrific arrangements of GAS tunes including Frank Loesser’s Never Will I Marry, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s It Might As Well Be Spring and Pure Imagination from ‘Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.’ Needless to say with musicians of this skill and talent their 45 minute set was a delight to listen to and over all too soon.
Dave C.

2 comments :

Ron Ainsborough said...

What a great review Dave. I feel as if I was there. BSH review standards fully maintained.
By the way I saw Liane Carroll at 606 Club a few years ago and she was equally impressive.
A top U.K. Jazz musician!

Jen said...

I have been on a 4 day jazz vocal course in Cromarty which is held annually with Liane Carroll, Sophie Bancroft, Sara Colman, Fiona Duncan and Brian Kellock. We were split into groups and had sessions with each of the tutors with a concert on the final day. Liane was indeed memorable with her unorthodox way of teaching and brilliant humour - I sang Night in Tunisia - and learnt so much in that short time. Dave's write up on her Boxing Day concert has brought happy memories back. Thank you.

Jen

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