Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18918 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 782 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 18.) 61.

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

September.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Tue 22: ???

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A John Coltrane Centenary Concert (b. 23. 09. 1926). SOLD OUT!
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 24: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 24: Arun Ghosh @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £21.05. (£22.00. on the door). A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 24: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 25: Mark Williams Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Get the Blessing + Dilettante @ The Cluny (Cluny 2), Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00. + bf. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 25: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 26: Adam Fairhall & Johnny Hunter: Play Mary Lou Williams @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 26: John Pope Quintet + Urvashi @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.40. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

CD Review: Damian Cook Quintet - You What?

Damian Cook (alto sax); Dave Boraston (trumpet/flugel); Graeme Taylor (piano); Joe Limburn (bass); Ted Carrasco (drums)
(Review by Lance).

This is a rocking band - and I mean rocking without the roll - what in the thirties we might have described as a jump band and what, in later years, under the direction of Bruce Turner, was indeed described in the aforementioned terms. Put simply, it rocks, it swings, it jumps. It's mainstream verging on bebop and it not only gets your feet tapping but your heart beat finds a good, albeit worrying, groove too!

Eight original tracks composed and arranged by Damian Cook who blows terrific alto. To quote Ira Gitler from an earlier review, "If Junior Cook were to legally pluralize his last name, it would read like the baldest statement of fact". Substitute Damian for Junior and it's still relevant.

There's also some tasty trumpet/flugel from Dave Boraston who is a bit of a discovery for me although, as we have 69 mutual friends on Facebook including Jo Harrop, Enrico, Alan Barnes, Simon Spillett, Chris Hibbard, Chris Hodgkins and 63 others, I feel I should be sending him Christmas cards. Check him out next time you're down south.

No need to ride the rods down to Kings Cross to catch Damian he's in pantomine at the Theatre Royal this year - oh yes he is - and, just as he has done in previous years, will be having a blow at The Globe and maybe sitting in at a jam or two. He's the real deal.

What am I saying? The whole band is very much the real deal. The rhythm section could be straight out of Harlem, via Chicago and Kansas City.

The CD just arrived this morning but no way was I going to allow it to disinfect in the hallway for even an hour. It only took one track before it was shuffled to the front of the queue.

Terrific!
Lance.

Rope, Garden, Golf...; Dry Roasted; Wakened Jazz Yelp; Down and Up; Julian and Nat; Church It Guys!; Down; Dimished Responsibility.

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