Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Northern Edge Coffee, Silver St., Berwick. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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, February 23, 2021

KSTV: Playback session - Ralph Towner & Gary Burton's "Matchbox" by Nick Costley-White & David Mrakpor - Feb. 23

Nick Costley-White (guitars); David Mrakpor (vibes)

(Screenshots by Ken Drew).

Calming, Chilled, Relaxing, Beautiful, Magical, were just some of the comments on YouTube and they pretty much summed things up tonight in what could have been, but wasn't, a boring session. Quite the opposite in fact.

Admittedly, the tempos on the numbers from the album were a bit on the andante side but this was compensated for by rich harmonies from the vibes and Costley-White's switching from acoustic to electric for more variation.

As I wasn't familiar with the original Towner/Burton album I had no basis for comparision which, in a playback session, is often the best way enabling one to listen without any preconceived ideas.

The majority of the compositions were by Towner who put his name to Drifting Petals; Icarus; Song for a Friend and Aurora.

As it happened, my three favourites weren't by Towner and my fave of those three wasn't even on the album! 

Bud Powell by Chick Corea stood out because it was the only number that wasn't Calming, Chilled and Relaxing although it was Beautiful and Magical and it did have a punch to it. The other two that stood head and shoulders above were Some Other Time - ah well, when does it not? - and Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.

A session that promised little but delivered much!
Lance
at

2 comments :

Patti said...

Spot on, Lance - as always! I hadn't known the album either, and didn't know what to expect - and I was on full alert, all ears, so to speak. The session had that 'calming', 'chilled' and 'relaxing' effect, and it was at times so 'ethereal' that I began drifting away ...... but the Chick Corea tribute to Bud Powell woke me up - just as well, because the next two numbers were absolutely sublime as you say. A really beautiful Pork Pie Hat, and that so gorgeous Some Other Time - even without those lovely lyrics. Great jazz minds think alike - or something like that!

Wednesday, February 24, 2021 12:02:00 pm
Unknown said...

Thanks for the kind words Lance, just stumbled upon this review now! David and I will be performing together again together at the Green Note on November 14th for the London jazz festival!

Sunday, August 08, 2021 11:32:00 am

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive