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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 23 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Jan. 9).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Tue 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

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

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

CD/ DVD Review - Jazz Sabbath.

According to the legend, heavy metal behemoths Black Sabbath stole some of their earliest songs from a mythical jazz group called Jazz Sabbath, whose album was pulled when the bandleader was hospitalised on the eve of its release.    
 
Black Sabbath were the first band I saw live, aged - using the vernacular of the time - nearly ten and a half. At the time they were one of the big rock bands alongside Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple only - to continue with the vernacular - heavier.

Since all of those bands emerged in the wake of Cream and Hendrix, I've never doubted rock music came from jazz, in coalition with the blues; an argument promulgated further when you consider early American rockers with strong jazz credentials: Zappa, Beefheart and Santana.

This album presents seven covers of tracks from the first four Black Sabbath albums: four from the second set Paranoid and one each from the debut, Master of Reality and Vol 4. 

Much of it is fairly straightforward piano trio stuff but is significantly embellished by guitar on three cuts (Fairies Wear Boots, Hand of Doom), alongside Hammond and sax on one of them (Children of the Grave). 

Given the subject matter, it's fairly lightweight stuff, though the musicianship is fine, especially piano and some propulsive drumming.  

That they are all Sabbath songs is largely irrelevant and no doubt designed to attract Sabbath fans, of which there are hordes, but if it attracts more music lovers to jazz, that can only be a good thing, and despite much of the nonsense, I believe metal fans are essentially music lovers.

While I'm familiar with all of the originals, even Evil Woman - which more or less shares the same riff as the more famous Black Night by Deep Purple - didn't  particularly jump out at me. As a rare ballad, Changes is easy to spot but, other than that, it's really left to fan favourite Iron Man, though the Bad Plus version is far more demented, even than the original. 

Incidentally, I've found another band called Casualties of Jazz who made an album of Sabbath covers which I must investigate.
  
Accompanying the album is a fifteen minute rockumentary/ mockumentary/jazzumentary which features a few rock luminaries and - while no Spinal Tap - has a few funny moments, not least a musician associated with Take That, ELO, Annie Lennox and 10cc (also Bill Withers) saying he was drawn to jazz because he can do better than that shit.

The album's available now on CD, digital, vinyls and cassette.    

Unremarkable.
Steve t. 

Milton Keanes (piano); Jacque T'fono (upright bass); Juan Take (drums) +  Fenton Breezby (sax); Wes Tostrayer, Steven Stringer, Chester Draws (guitar); Leighton B'zard (Hammond).

Alternatively: Adam Wakeman (piano), Jerry Meehan (bass), Ash Soan (drums), guests uncredited.

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