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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18018 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 339 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (May 7).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: The Greatest in Jazz - Guitarists.
Thu 15: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 15: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). John Garner & John Pope.

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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

Friday, January 29, 2021

Album review: Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine - Mazel Tov Kocktail!

Big bands come and go and some stay. Locally, The Customs House Big Band, Strictly Smokin' Big Band, The Gala Big Band and Musicians Unlimited have achieved varying degrees of longevity curtailed only by the occasional pandemic.

Down in Southern California the Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine have been swinging since 1979. Liss, whose CV includes playing baritone sax with such luminaries as Rob McConnell, Louis Bellson and Thad Jones, initially formed the band purely as a vehicle for his students to get their chops together.

They certainly did that and soon they were playing in public before, becoming a community band and, eventually, a full-time pro band.

By 1994, Liss had stopped playing and taken on the role of musical director. It was also the year the band made its first recording.
 
More recordings followed and this is their sixth, celebrating the 40 plus years since it was formed.

Six, mainly original, instrumentals and six vocal covers by Janet Hammer and Carly Ines. Carly, who's also in the trombone section, sings Chick Corea's High Wire, Love You Madly and Joy Spring. Janet lends her vocal chords to You'd Better Love Me While You May, I Wish You Love and Where or When. Both singers are the real deal.

There's a host of fine soloists both from within the band and from the imported guns. In the latter category Greg Armstrong is active on flute and tenor. Tyler Richardson blows alto, Melanie Medina plays some funky guitar on Springtime and April Leslie gives us some rollicking klezmer clarinet on the title track. Castel Del Oro takes the tenor solo  on High Wire,  David Barnard takes a trombone solo on one of the vocals whilst keyboard capers are in the hands of Steve Sibley on piano. The solo trumpet chores - whenever have I used a term so inappropriately? - are performed by Mark Nicholson and Jeff Beck - listen to Beck on Joy Spring. No piccolo players required today.

The presence of Mike Vax on Gimme That didn't faze them one little bit even though Vax was at the top of his game.  Gimme That was written by Andrew Neu  who takes the tenor solo. Matt DiBiase on vibes has his say on a couple and Nathan East is featured on Bass:The Final Frontier which was composed and arranged by Dan Radlauer who also played accordion on another of his compositions Mazel Tov Kocktail.

There is so much more I could write about this album but, with another 20 albums
knocking on the door time and tide etc....
Lance


(Collective personnel): Tyler Richardson, Josh Smitley, Greg Armstrong, Nicholas Hoo, April Leslie, Malcolm Jones, David Castel De Oro (saxes); Randy Aviles, Mark Nicholson, Jeff Beck, Jack Houghton (trumpets); Gary Bucher, Carly Ines, David Barnard, Tim Hall (trombones); Steve Sibley (piano); Lance Jeppeson (bass); Charlie Styx McGhee (drums); Melanie Medina, Robert Cartwright (guitars); Noah Ines (perc.); Janet Hammer, Carly Ines (vocals) + Nathan East (electric bass); Andrew Neu (tenor sax); Dan Radlauer (accordion); Mike Vax (trumpet); Matt DiBiase (vibes).

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