Bebop Spoken There

Warne Marsh: "At some point, you have to be prepared to create—to perform. It's vital, man, if we're talking about jazz, the original jazz, the performing art. It fulfils its meaning only when you play it live in front of an audience." DownBeat January 1983.

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

18191 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 45 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 14), 45

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Joe Deans.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: 2025 obituaries.
Thu 22: Ronnie Scott’s Soho Songbook @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Thu 22: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta. @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm (doors). £6.50 (inc. bf).

Fri 23: Sue Ferris Quintet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 24: An Evening with Will Todd @ Durham Cathedral. 7:30pm. Feat. Voices of Hope, Strictly Smokin’ Big Band (members of) & Alice Grace. Performance inc. Todd’s Jazz Missa Brevis. £25.50., £13.50., £19.50., £10.50.

Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Alexia Gardner Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.

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

Friday, June 12, 2020

Album Review: Walter Smith III & Matthew Stevens - In Common 2

Walter Smith III (tenor sax); Matthew Stevens (guitar); Micah Thomas (piano); Linda May Han Oh (bass); Nate Smith (drums).

The blurb describes it as "... being at once free and highly structured, melodically accessible yet thoroughly contemporary." Come to think of it, I couldn't have phrased it better myself!

Apart from the opening number - Roy Allan - composed by the late Roy Hargrove and played as a homage to him by the two leaders, the remaining tracks were all by either Walter Smith or Matthew Stevens.

Like the earlier recording, In Common, the aim is simplicity which, as any musician will tell you, is much more difficult to do effectively than is complexity where the lack of substance can sometimes be disguised by a flurry of notes, multi-tempo passages and fashionably dissonant sounds.

 Smith III plays beautiful tenor, just as I remembered him doing at a memorable concert at Sage Gateshead back in 2013. Stevens was also on that gig and he was as magnificent then as he is now - the gig was in the running for gig of the year - maybe it won, I can't remember now but, if it didn't, it should have done!

 I'm not going to claim this to be my CD of the Year but it will be closer to the top than to the bottom - a lot closer!

 Check it out - it's available on Whirlwind Recordings WR4755.
Lance.
PS: Not my album cover of the year!

 Roy Allen; Lotto; Cowboy; Clem; Van Der Linde; Provinces; General George Washington; Little Lamplight; Opera; Type Rider.
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