Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Thu 13: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 13: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 27.
Thu 13: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Album review: Jeff Cosgrove/John Medeski/Jeff Lederer - History Gets Ahead of the Story

Jeff Cosgrove (drums); John Medeski (organ); Jeff Lederer (saxophones, flute)

Drummer Jeff Cosgrove's new album is the realisation of a long held ambition to record the music of former collaborator William Parker. Seven of the CD's ten tracks were written by bassist Parker, three others are Cosgrove's compositions. Bandleader Cosgrove elected to work without a bass player, preferring the classic organ trio format and recruited organist John Medeski of Medeski, Martin and Wood fame and saxophonist Jeff Lederer to go into the studio over two days in 2018. 

William Parker is, perhaps, best known as a bassist on the free jazz scene but, for this project, it was the New Yorker's compositions which were of interest to Cosgrove. The music encompasses freeform sections and effortless swingtime groove; Cosgrove's creative, pulsating, rhythmic propulsion, Medeski's classic bass pedals organ sound, Lederer's incisive, insistent saxophone and flute. In some quarters 'free' and 'swing' could be seen as mutually exclusive terms but not as far as Cosgrove is concerned. Following the lead of Parker - and Charles Mingus from an earlier generation - bandleader Cosgrove pays scant regard to any such perceived divisions.  
Russell

History Gets Ahead of the Story by Jeff Cosgrove/John Medeski/Jeff Lederer is available from tomorrow (Friday, July 17) on Grizzley Music (www.jeffcosgrovemusic.com) 

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