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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

18037 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 458 of them this year alone and, so far, 36 this month (June 11).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 14: Mr Wilson’s Second Liners @ Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington. 10:00am-5:00pm. Free. At intervals during the day.
Sat 14: Spanish City Rollers @ The Brae, Cullercoats. 11:00am & 1:00pm. Free. A Cullercoats Festival event.
Sat 14: Front Porch Three + Hoodoo Blues swing dance workshop @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 3:30pm. A Cullercoats Festival event.
Sat 14: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer & Cider Festival, Tynedale Rugby Club, Corbridge. 4:15-5:30pm.
Sat 14: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 14: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 14: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 14: Eva Fox & Steve Chambers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 15: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:00pm.
Sun 15: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Hannah Brine Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free. Concert performance (open to the public)..
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00.

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’..
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. .
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

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

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Album Review: Kathleen Grace with Larry Goldings – Tie Me To You

The latest recording from this Los Angeles based singer/songwriter, whilst firmly rooted in the jazz tradition, also takes in elements of blues, folk, and pop. Ms Grace, originally from Tuscon, Arizona, has performed internationally as well as in America.
The music on Tie Me to You arose out of changes to her life when she ended her marriage, began another relationship and re-assessed her identity.

The album was recorded as simply as possible without elaborate arrangements and some songs were done in single takes. Larry Goldings has been Grammy-nominated and has worked with James Taylor and Norah Jones. The other musicians are also well experienced: Piltch has worked with KD Lang, and jazz bassist Oleszkiewicz has played with Pat Metheny.

The CD covers a wide range of music: three originals, four standards, a blues, a Beatles’ song and a cabaret type number. Ms Grace uses her voice appropriately for the material: the title track is a slow sweet-voiced song, quite a folky tune, simple and direct, with the violin adding to the mix. Where or When is sung in contrasting style, in a conversational voice, to flowing accompaniment from Goldings on, I think, the tuneful glockenspiel. Everywhere, an original, has a country feel.

My favourite track was John The Revelator, a blues sung to a light drum beat from somewhere, although no drums are listed in the information. Berceuse is cabaret, The Thrill Is Gone,  a sensitive ballad and Embarcardero,  a tango, a love song which compares a love affair to the sea. Love for Sale is low key, sad and quiet; What'll I Do? is a ballad with a skilled piano solo. The album is rounded off with a happy Beatles song, Follow the Sun, just sweet voice and piano.   

Most of the songs were done at a slow pace and I would have welcomed a bit more liveliness on some numbers. For example it would have been good to end a bit more jubilantly on the Beatles song. Enjoyable on the whole.
Ann Alex

The CD is currently available in stores and online (Monsoon Records).

Kathleen Grace (voice, guitar); Larry Goldings (piano, keyboards, organ, pocket piano, glockenspiel); David Piltch (bass, tracks 1,3,4,5,8,10); Gabe Witcher (violin, tracks 1,3,7,8); Darek Oleszkiewicz (bass track 7).

Tie Me To You; Where or When; Everywhere; John The Revelator; Berceuse (Valsa Para Uma Menininha); The Thrill Is Gone;Embarcardero; Love for Sale; What'll I Do? I'll Follow The Sun

2 comments :

Patti said...

I might even check this one out - I'm intrigued by the thought of this take on John the Revelator - the sound of this singer's voice, with a 'light drum beat' ......... when you consider the mind blowing impact of the original recordings, by Son House and Blind Willie Johnston.

Ann Alexander said...

Yes Patti, I've heard 'stronger' recordings of this song which I love. Local group the Hokum Hotshots do this rather well with Pete Mason singing.

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