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.

Sunday, August 30, 2020

Album Review: Dave Stryker with Bob Mintzer and the WDR Big Band - Blue Soul

Guitarist Dave Stryker joined fellow American Bob Mintzer to play a varied selection of charts alongide Germany's world class WDR Big Band. The result - Blue Soul - is an enjoyable groove-laden take on familiar jazz/pop/soul standards with three Styrker originals and a Mintzer composition making the final cut of nine tracks. 

Stryker has released more than two dozen albums of his own and worked as sideman on countless others. Influences are brought to bear on this Strikezone Records CD. To begin at the end, the closing track, Stan's Shuffle, was written by his old boss of ten years or more, Stanley Turrentine. The midway point (track five), Stryker's own Blues Strut, features the man himself, Mintzer's tenor sax and Billy Test on organ. The latter recalls Stryker's earlier work with Jack McDuff. 

Three paragraphs in and scarcely a mention of the WDR. That's because it should be taken for granted that if the mighty German outfit is on a recording session it has to be good, and it is. Mintzer is the orchestra's principal conductor. Arranging charts for the WDR must be a challenge and a pleasure in equal measure with no such thing as a weak link in this band, soloists coming from every section (Karolina Starssmeyer, alto sax, Andy Hunter, trombone to name but two), the guest soloist laying down a blues groove, it all adds up to a polished 'big band with soloist' (ad)venture. 

From Marvin Gaye's Trouble Man and What's Going On? to Prince's When Doves Cry to Jimmy Webb's Wichita Lineman, the WDR under the direction of Mintzer make Blues Soul an 'easy' listen, 'easy' in the best sense of the word, the kind of album where you anticipate a twist, a turn, a solo, and, right on cue, it delivers. 
Russell

Blues Soul by Dave Stryker with Bob Mintzer and the WDR Big Band is available on Strikezone Records (8820).    

Dave Stryker (guitar); Bob Mintzer (conductor, arranger, tenor sax tracks 2, 5, 9); Wim Both Rob Bruynen, Andy Haderer, Ruud Breuls (trumpets); Ludwig Nuss, Raphael Klemm, Andy Hunter (trombones); Mattis Cederberg (bass trombone); Johan Hörlén, Karolina Srassmayer (alto sax); Olivier Peters, Paul Heller (tenor sax); Jens Neufang (baritone sax); Billy Test (piano, organ); John Goldsby (bass); Hans Dekker (drums) 
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