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.

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Album Review: Ninna Milner – Treasures of the Heart


Ninna Milner (vocals, percussion); Lars Emil Riis (piano, keyboard); Thomas Raae (bass, cello, guitar, various tracks); Lis Wessberg (trombone 3 tracks)

Ninna Milner lives with her family in Osterbro, Copenhagen, where her husband owns the Drumstick shop. She has taken lessons with Rhiannon in Hawaii and with Bobby McFerrin in New York, performed at the Beijing Jazz Festival with a Chinese trio in 2007 and sings regularly at Cafe Intime in Copenhagen. In fact Ms Milner has taken part in many concerts since the mid-1980s. This is her fifth solo album, which has influences from spirituality and World Music.


Six of the tracks were composed by Ms Milner with lyrics by Christine Bojsen Traeden and there are two standards included. The information given describes the music as 'Lyrical Nordic jazz and bubbling world music...' I'd certainly agree with that as the songs are inventive, unusual, sad, tactile, romantic, optimistic by turns and also sometimes fun, covering a wide range of styles.

The lyrics are clever e.g. Naked in the Rain: 'I'm on my balcony, nothing to lose, come up hot baby, bring me my shoes', a saucy song, to contrast with the tactile romance of Invisible to the Eye: 'There are marks on my skin where you've been, but we can't see them'. The instrumentalists contribute well – on There is a Crack the trombone sounds tender and romantic.

The title track is a jaunty, amusing 1920s style song where, this time, the trombone is playful! My favourite track is Naked in the Rain, which is a slinky swing number: It's Not a Dream features a drone effect, presumably from guitar, adding to the dream idea, and an effective piano solo. The whole is appropriately rounded off with a standard, We'll Be Together Again, suitable for these Covid times, with a bass solo on this one.

Yet another woman singer who is well worth listening to. The album was released yesterday, September 14, in the form of 200 LPs and also on stream. 
Ann Alex
https://ninnamilner.dk/
There is a Crack; Treasures of the Heart; Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers; Did I Tell You?; Naked in the Rain; It's Not a Dream; Invisible to the Eye; We'll Be Together Again
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