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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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

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.
Sun 19: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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

Tue 21: ???

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s 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

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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