Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18767 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 631 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 31) 95.

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

August

Tue 04: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 06: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guest Zoë Gilby.
Thu 06: 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 06: Bridget Metcalfe Sextet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 08: ???

Sun 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Ropner Park, Stockton. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: The Gambling Janes @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 10: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.Free.

Tue 11: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free.

Monday, April 27, 2020

CD Review: Curtis Stigers - Gentleman

Curtis Stigers (vocal/tenor sax); Larry Golding (organ/piano); David Piltch (bass); Austin Beede (drums); John 'Scrapper Sneider' (trumpet); Doug Yowell (percussion); Jody Ferber (cello).

Stigers’ new album offers a wry yet elegant reassessment of the modern male. Along with his own lyrical observations, penned in collaboration with longtime partners Larry Goldings and David Poe, Stigers also calls on the help of top songwriters Nick Lowe, Tom T. Hall and John Fulbright, and a stellar line up of musicians comprised of organist Larry Goldings (James Taylor), bassist David Piltch (k.d. lang), drummer Austin Beede (Alastair Greene Band), trumpeter John “Scrapper” Sneider (Madeleine Peyroux), percussionist Doug Yowell (Duncan Sheik) and cellist Jody Ferber (Esperanza Spalding).  Stigers and Goldings share the producer credit. 


The above is what the blurb says and the opening sentence more or less sums it up although I'm not quite sure how After You've Gone offers "a wry yet elegant reassessment of the modern male"! although there is some nice trumpet work from Sneider on that and on several other tracks. Stigers blows some gutsy tenor on the title track as well as croaking out the lyric in his distinctive manner.

The other songs, originals and more contemporary ones, certainly do what it says on the tin. They're laid back and laconic observations of life that will probably appeal to the more mature, middle of the road, section of his audience. He's worn so many hats over the years that, unless you listen first, you don't know what you're getting.

I personally liked it.

Lance
Available  this Friday (May 1) from Emarcy/Universal.

  1. Lately I’ve Let Things Slide (Nick Lowe) 
  2. After You’ve Gone (Turner Layton/Henry Creamer) 
  3. A Lifetime Together (Curtis Stigers/Larry Goldings) 
  4. Gentleman (Curtis Stigers/David Poe) 
  5. As Usual (Larry Goldings/Bill Demain) 
  6. Remember (David Poe) 
  7. She Knows (John Fullbright) 
  8. Here We Go Again (Larry Goldings/Curtis Stigers/ David Poe) 
  9. Shame on the Rain (Tom T. Hall) 
  10. Under the Snow (David Poe) 
  11. Learning to Let You Go (Goldings/Stigers/Poe) 

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