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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

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. CANCELLED!
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.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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, February 04, 2020

CD Review: Issie Barratt’s Interchange – Donna’s Secret


(Review by Hugh C)

Issie Barratt is well established on the jazz scene as an internationally active composer, arranger, conductor, baritone player, record producer and educator

Interchange (“In-to-change”)   is “an exciting new jazz dectet comprising ten of the nation’s most innovative award-winning composers and improvisers –  Pushing at the boundaries and blurring all the edges!”

Donna’s Secret comprises eight newly commissioned works, each by a different composer, namely: Still Here (Karen Street); Donna’s Secret (Brigitte Beraha); Negomi (Nikki Iles); Samla Korna Med Kulning (Issie Barratt); Palmyra (Shirley Smart); Spontaneous Symmetry (Tori Freestone); Caliban (Cassie Kinoshi); Hope (Carol Jarvis).  

Each is written in response to a situation or life event the individual composer has encountered or experienced and detailed sleeve notes place each track in the context in which it was composed.

Still Here demonstrates tight ensemble playing interspersed by a Ceilidh-style dance rhythm featuring Karen Street’s accordion. Donna’s Secret features both musical (verbal and non-verbal) and spoken vocals, in both French and English, from Brigitte Beraha and Jessica Radcliffe.  Negomi is a reflective piece with Middle Eastern influences, written in response to the plight of refugees in the Calais camps.  Samla Korna Med Kulning commences with birdsong and cowbells and depicts women’s herding calls (Kulning) on the Fennoscandian peninsula.  Palmyra returns us to the Middle East (where the composer lived for several years).  Spontaneous Symmetry examines the patterns of nature and breakages in the usual symmetry, such as Freestone’s mother’s atrial fibrillation.  Caliban is Kinoshi’s response to the character in Shakespeare’s The Tempest.  Hope reflects the composer’s emotional journey through cancer juxtaposing darkness and loneliness with optimism and hope.

As observed in a previous review on Bebop Spoken Here (and quoted in the band’s publicity) this is a band, “full of sophisticated music and improvisational skill”.  The whole CD lasts a total of nearly 78 minutes and each track between 7 and 13 minutes.  Within each track there are contrasting elements reflecting the nature of the subject matter informing the composition.  

The CD bears repeated listening, and each time new nuances are discovered.  This is not one for “musical wallpaper” in the background and demands full attention from the listener.

Donna’s Secret is released by Fuzzy Moon Records (Catalogue FUZ015) and is available now.

Issie Barratt (Baritone Sax); Nikki Iles (Piano); Laura Jurd (Trumpet/Electronics); Jessica Radcliffe (Voice); Helena Kay (Clarinet/Alto Sax); Rosie Turton (Trombone); Shirley Smart (Cello); Karen Street (Accordion); Charlie Pyne (Bass); Katie Patterson (Percussion).
 Hugh

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