Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
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: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 9:00pm. 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

Friday, January 22, 2021

Album review: Tricotism - Nostalgia

Craig Milverton (piano); Nigel Price (guitar); Sandy Suchodolski (bass).

Inspired by the early piano, guitar, bass trios of Oscar Peterson, Tricotism is much more than a mere cloning exercise, it's more a development of the format. Just as Peterson built on Nat Cole's pioneering efforts, so Tricotism have added their own take. The big difference being that this is a trio of equals rather than a leader and two sidemen. Interestingly, Peterson did revert to a more balanced trio with Joe Pass on guitar and Ray Brown on bass before returning to the piano, bass, drums set up.

It's the trio with Joe Pass that Tricotism most closely resembles and this they manage whilst retaining their own identity. Three musicians, comparable with any three on the world stage today, offer an enjoyable mix of standards, jazz classics, a couple of Peterson originals and one by Milverton himself.

Once upon a time just about every album included a ballad medley then, for whatever reason, they fell out of fashion - but now ballad medleys are back and very welcome they are too!

Nigel kicked it off with I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You. Sandy followed on with I Can't Get Started and Craig took it out with I Got it Bad and That Ain't Good. An absolute classic performance - and that applies to the whole album.

As a matter of interest, the album notes inform us that Craig was playing his prized 1922 Steinway grand piano (did he win it in a raffle?) they don't make 'em like that anymore!
Lance.


Nostalgia (Fats Navarro); Devil May Care; The Man I Love; L'Impossible (Peterson); Love Ballade (Peterson); Lullaby of the Leaves; Moon Alley (Tom Harrell); Ballad Medley; The Big Sleazy (Milverton); Superjet (Tadd Dameron). 

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