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

18818 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 682 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 20) 51.

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

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Sat 22: Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham Alumni All Stars + Swing Manouche @ Darlington Market Place. From 1:00pm. Free. The All Stars (1:00pm); The Alumni (2:00-4:00pm); Swing Manouche (4:15pm).

Sun 23: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Royal Quays Marina, North Shields. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free..
Sun 23: Blue Note Quintet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00..
Sun 23: Timmy Allan Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 24: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 27: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 27: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Album review; Katherine Windfeld Big Band - Orca

I could write this review in one sentence - "Simply the best contemporary big band I've heard this year."

I can feel the quizzical eyebrows being raised, the sceptical glances being exchanged, the shaking of heads and fingers being tapped against the side of those same heads when they've stopped shaking.

However, the doubters will no longer be doubting once they've listened - it really is that good.

The theme is about the sea which isn't surprising as Denmark, where Katherine was born has the longest coastline in relation to its size in the world and, as such, it has always held a deep - no pun intended - fascination for her which shows in her writing. The turbulence and the tranquility of Neptune's kingdom is painted in an amazing splash of musical colour. On one track, Dark Navy, I was literally terrified by the sound. It was absolutely frightening - you know the feeling you get in a movie when the killer is about to strike? Well it had the same effect on me without any visual aid.

Such is the power of the writing, and the sea that inspired it helped along by the sinister wailing of Magnus Thulund's alto - I've still got goose pimples! 

Yes the writing is something else but so is Windfeld's piano and the host of other soloists who build on the complex but compelling scores.

Recommended unequivocally!

Lance

Undertow; The Lifting; Orca; Dark Navy; Harvest; Fish; Ferry; Seaweed.

André Bak, Rolf  Thoft Løkke, Magnes Oseth (No), Maj Berit Guassor (trumpets); Göran Abelli (Se), Mikkel Vig Aagaard, Anders Larson (Se), André Jenson (trombones); Jakob Luundbak, Magnus Thuelund (alto sax); Roald Elm Larsen, Ida Karlsson (Se) (tenor sax); Aske Drasbæk (bari sax/bass clt) Gabor Bolia (Hu) (tenor sax on tks 2 & 7); Katherine Windfeld (piano); Victor Sandström (Se) (guitar); Johannes Vaht (Se) (bass); Henrik Holst Hansen (drums).

All musicians are from Denmark unless otherwise stated: No = Norway, Se = Sweden, Hu = Hungary.

No comments :

Blog Archive