Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

October.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Friday, January 24, 2020

EP Review: Mette Juul: New York - Copenhagen

Mette Juul (vocal); Mike Moreno (guitar tracks 1, 2 & 5), Ulf Wakenius (guitar track 3); Per Mallehøj (guitar track 4); Lars Danielsson (bass tracks 3 & 4).
(Review by Lance)

Mette's fifth album and the third to be reviewed by BSH*. It may be her best yet - the voice is beguiling, captivating, the person you feel you've waited all your life to meet despite the fact that, in my case, she wasn't born for most of it!

The Copenhagen based Danish singer's aim is to try and capture the difference between the pulsating, vibrant energy of New York and the Nordic simplicity and warmth of her youth.

Whether she succeeds or not is a matter for the listener to decide. However, where she most certainly does succeed is in her interpretations of these five songs not least by the sympathetic accompaniment from the three guitarists.

Some Other Time: voice and guitar (Moreno), laid back and sensuous vocal drifting on top of the chords, guitar solo as cool as a Scandinavian evening in late autumn.

Skylark: Moreno stays on board for the classic Carmichael/Mercer collaboration. Mette does some unison scatting with guitar, takes a few liberty's with the tune but doesn't do any harm.

For Jan (Part two): A Kenny Wheeler/Norma Winstone composition. This time it's Ulf Wakenius on guitar and Danielsson on bass. Probing, with an eerie feel that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end!

You Must Believe in Spring: Mallehøj on guitar and more musical blending between voice and guitar.

The Peacocks: Moreno returns for this adaptation of the Jimmy Rowles/Norma Winstone classic. Beautiful...

At 25.33 minutes it classifies itself as an EP and, as such, this is the ideal length for the material leaving the listener totally satisfied without wanting more - at least not immediately...

I realise it's not released until March 6 but I couldn't wait that long! I'll beam it up again nearer the release date.
Lance
* Change (2019).
   There is a Song (2015).

Available on March 6 on Universal Music.

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