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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. POSSIBLE CANCELLATION. See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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

Sunday, January 12, 2020

CD Review: Amber Weekes – Pure Imagination

(Review by Ann Alex)

Amber Weekes hails from Los Angeles. Her grandparents lived in Harlem and they ran a cafe which was frequented by the likes of Duke Ellington, Diahann Carroll, and Billy Strayhorn. She sang from being a child and went on to study voice (with no less a legend than Sue Rainey who also joins Amber on the title track) and has performed at many of Los Angeles's top clubs as well as at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.

This fine album includes recognised jazz standards alongside songs by Anthony Newley, Barry Manilow, and Paul Simon but I was most delighted to discover songs by a writer who, I’m ashamed to admit, is new to me, Oscar Brown Jr.  Such great songs, why did I not know about these songs years ago?

The Snake is a sinuous, slinky song about a woman who took a snake home but it bit her when she tried to be friendly, no doubt this is a metaphor for a love affair, accompanied suitably by piano, bass, trumpet and finger snaps. Brown Baby is a beautiful song of encouragement to a black child, wishing for a better life than the mother has had, really a song about civil rights, sung movingly, and accompanied by bass only, 'I want you to walk down freedom's road'. Mr Kicks is a witty, fun song about a man looking for kicks.

The rest of the songs are Pure Imagination which includes comments to introduce the album and also a trilling flute solo; It's Alright With Me; When He Makes Music, which is quite contemplative and sung in an intimate, whispery style; Gotta Be This Or That; After You've Gone; When October Goes, (a bossa which includes players on strings); The Way He Makes Me Feel; Just Squeeze Me on which the vibraphone solo adds to the flirtatious feel. Paul Simon's Gone At Last is done effectively as a lively 1950's New Orleans number, and the album concludes with a bonus track of When October Goes, done this time as a ballad.

The CD is available on the Amber Inn Productions label. See www.amberweekes.com
Ann Alex

Amber Weekes (vocals); Peter Smith, Tony Copodonico (piano); Trevor Ware, Jeff Littleton (bass); Charles Ruggiero, Nathaniel Scott (drums); Keith Fiddimont, (saxes); Curtis Taylor, Scotty Barnhart (trumpets); Munyungo Jackson (percussion); Mark Cargill (violin, string arranger/conductor, co-producer); Sue Rainey (vocal on title track) + various others on guitar, flute, vibraphone, backing vocals.

1 comment :

NeilC said...

A sultry relaxing voice great for a late night or Sunday morning listen . The track The Snake was a huge Northern Soul hit for Al Wilson and features on pretty much every Northern Soul compilation album ever released.

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