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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thursday, February 04, 2021

KSTV: Will Arnold-Forster Trio w. Jalen N'Gonda - Feb. 4

Will Arnold-Forster (guitar); Will Sach (bass); Jas Kayser (drums) + Jalen N'Gonda (vocals/piano).

(Screenshots by Ken Drew)

Another day, another trio at KSTV. This time with the addition of pianist/singer Jalen N'Gonda.

The trio opened up with Duke's Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'. A good solid start. It's one of those Ellington numbers that haven't been overworked. Likewise Paul Chambers' Ease It - a tune entirely new to me and one I'll look forward to hearing again. Written by a bass player, not unsurprisingly, it had a fine solo from Will the Bass with Will the Guitar not far behind but, in the end, it was Jas the Drum that got the cigar.

The excellent first set concluded with a rather delicious waltz - Bill Evans' Some Time Ago.

There are some singers who are good pianists and some pianists who are good singers. I'm not sure which category Jalen N'Gonda falls into but, judging by the comments on YouTube, he ticks both boxes as he saw out the second set with Witchcraft; I Can't Wait Until I See my Baby's Face; September Song and You Don't Know What Love is. The latter tune inspired by Marvin Gaye's early career version.

Tomorrow night it's that man again, Adrian Cox, paying tribute to Irving Henry Prestopnik who, wisely, changed his name to Irving Fazola and became clarinetist with the Bob Crosby Bobcats.
Lance
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