Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

CD Review: Henrik Jensen's Followed By Thirteen - Affinity

Rory Simmons (trumpet); Esben Tjaive (piano); Henrik Jensen (bass); Pete Ibbetson (drums).
(Review by Lance)

Bass player Henrik Jensen is no stranger to these pages. The Dane appeared several times at the Jazz Café with his Followed By Thirteen quartet. He has also shown up with Joy Ellis on several occasions at The Globe and elsewhere and, as an indication of his in-demand status, has appeared at Sage Gateshead with the Puppini Sisters - perhaps he will be with them when they return on April 25.

We've also covered several of his CDs which led to my anticipation of this, his latest, and I wasn't disappointed!
It is so cool and laid back that I too wanted to lay back and just wallow in the sound. Even the more uppish numbers had such a relaxed feel about them that I wasn't sure if I wanted a late night cocktail or a cup of cocoa - I settled for the former. A Mojita. Not, I hasten to add, one of your posh city centre jobs with mint leaves, mini umbrellas and gawd knows what else floating around and costing an arm and a leg. This was a 99p can from one of the lesser mutiple stores. The Bacardi could be vagually detected and it tipped the scales at 250ml/5%.

However, I digress!

The band!

Simmons has a great sound - hotter than Chet, cooler than Miles - perfect!

Tjaive, a fellow Dane who studied with Jensen at the Royal Academy, displays an appropriate affinity with his friend and the empathy between them is obvious.

Ibbetson slots in nicely, not in anyway obtrusive except when the composition demands it.

As for Jensen himself ... Denmark produced, arguably, the world's greatest jazz double bassist - no name needed - and it suffices to say that Henrik Jensen is in that league.

Henrik's compositions are from the heart - this album is a celebration of his aunt Jyta Peterson who recently passed away. 
Also included is a dedication to his new born son - Four for a Boy - whilst Gentle Giant remembers his late friend and esteemed pianist, Paolo Losi.

BSH is quoted in the blurb as saying in a previous review - "This cosmopolitan line-up works superbly well".

It still does!

If you like your jazz soft but far from smooth then this is for you. It comes out on March 20 and, if you live in Manchester, Cardiff, Bristol or London you can probably pick one up at a gig before then. If, however, you live in one of jazz's more remote outposts such as Newcastle then you may have to order it at J.G.Windows in the Central Arcade or contribute to the downfall of the high street by ordering online via the usual suspects (+ postage).
Lance
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