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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Album review: Maria Schneider Orchestra - Data Lords

Maria Schneider's new album is a majestic work spanning some ninety five minutes across two discs. The Artists Share funding platform made it possible to record Data Lords over four days in autumn 2019 and produce physical CD copies of the album. 

Schneider's A-list eighteen piece band is more than up to the mark in realising the composer's vision. The main theme is Schneider's concern with 'the great impact the data-hungry digital world has had on our lives'. 

The first disc, The Digital World, centres around Ben Monder's guitar. In addition to the electric guitar Schneider's sleeve notes pointedly refer to Greg Gisbert's 'trumpet with electronics' on CQ CQ, Is Anybody There? and again on the title track with fellow trumpeter Mike Rodriguez the soloist. Monder's playing on this densely textured album invites comparison with Hiram Bullock's contribution to Gil Evans' later work and John McLaughlin with electric-era Miles Davis.

The companion disc, Our Natural World, purposely shows greater restraint in the writing and in the performance of the six tracks. It is the same group of musicians yet Schneider successfully coaxes a collective lyricism from the ensemble. 

Schneider's stated intention is 'to get away from every device bombarding me with endless chatter, endless things - endless demands'. The distinctive sound of Gary Versace's accordion adds a different dimension and Donny McCaslin, known beyond the jazz world as a collaborator on David Bowie's final recording, makes a telling tenor sax contribution on the album's closing track, The Sun Waited for Me

All compositions are by Schneider. Data Lords (Artists Share, cat no. AS0176) is one of the albums of the year and is available exclusively at: www.mariaschneider.com.    
Russell
         
Maria Schneider Orchestra: Maria Schneider (composer, conductor); Steve Wilson (alto sax, soprano sax, clarinet, flute, alto flute); Dave Pietro (alto sax, clarinet, flute, alto flute, piccolo); Rich Perry (tenor sax); Donny McCaslin (tenor sax, flute); Scott Robinson (Bb, bass, contra-bass clarinets, baritone sax, muson); Tony Kadleck, Greg Gisbert, Nadje Noordhuis, Mike Rodriguez (trumpet, flugelhorn); Keith O'Quinn, Ryan Keberle, Marshall Gilkes (trombone); George Flynn (bass trombone); Gary Versace (accordion); Ben Monder (guitar); Frank Kimbrough (piano); Jay Anderson (bass guitar); Johnathan Blake (drums, percussion) 

1 comment :

Dave said...

Maria Schneider’s albums are all consistently good and consistently expensive. By my calculations buying the latest cd would cost about £40 delivered to the UK. On that basis, I won’t be buying it.
Dave

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