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

18897 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 11.) 40.

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.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).

Fri 18: Danny Lownes’ Hot Club @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Mark Williams Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00., £5.00. student.
Fri 18: Rivkala + Beccy Sloan @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.
Sat 19: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner: Nina Simone. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 19: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.

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.

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

Saturday, June 20, 2020

Album review: Rudresh Mahanthappa - Hero Trio

Rudresh Mahanthappa (alto sax); Francois Moutin (bass); Rudy Royston (drums). 

I'd heard glowing reports about this album and, I'm pleased to say the fluorescence is fully justified although I did initially view it with the gravest of doubts. Why? They wear masks! Not PPE type masks but the sort of face covering favoured by Batman and Robin or, in an earlier age, Dick Turpin. Well all I can say is that they certainly stand and deliver.

The title, Hero Trio, derives from the album's theme which is to pay tribute to Princeton director of Jazz Mahanthappa's heroes - those musicians who have influenced him. 



The heroes are diverse: Three Charlie Parker pieces (Red Cross, Barbados and Dewey Square), Stevie Wonder is represented with Overjoyed and Trane's 26-2 is merged with Barbados thus linking up two of the major figures in modern jazz. 

The standards I Can't Get Started and I'll Remember April were inspired, not by Bunny Berigan or George Shearing but, the former by Sonny Rollins and Benny Carter and the latter by Lee Konitz. Keith Jarrett was the original brains behind The Windup whilst Ornette Coleman composed Sadness and June Carter  ignited Ring of Fire for her husband Johnny Cash.

Mahanthappa is one of the most exciting alto players I've heard in recent years and he does his heroes proud. The lack of a chordal instrument offers a chance of freedom which the alto player grabs with both hands. Of course, without a sound bass and drums, freedom could quickly turn into chaos! Not so here. Moutin and Royston are top draw. Some of the bass solos are as good as any I've ever heard - and I do mean ever! Royston is no mere time-keeper although he does keep time but he is also as much an integral part of the trio as the other two often laying down a line that is as melodic as it is rhythmic.

 Hero Trio was released yesterday (June 19) by Whirlwind Recordings (WR4760) and if isn't top of at least one of the Jazzwise charts in the mag's August edition (July's already on the street*) I'll eat my virtual hat!
Lance.

 * July's Jazzwise, incidentally, contains a letter from one of the Jazz Coop's directors, Debra Milne).
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