Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (DownBeat May, 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

18504 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 368 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 7 ) 22

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

May

Thu 14: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Philip Larkin’s Jazz Experiment.
Thu 14: Jerron Paxton @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb country blues.
Thu 14: Solcade @ the Bridge Hotel, Newcastle. 7:00pm. EP launch. Rivkala & co..
Thu 14: Jacob Egglestone @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Egglestone (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass); Jack Littlewood (drums) & guests.
Thu 14: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 15: Conor Emery Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Line-up Emery (trombone); Alix Shepherd (piano); John Pope (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 adv., £15.00 on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Puppini Sisters @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!

Sat 16: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. God Bless the Child - Lady Day!. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 16: Kaberry Big Band @ the Seahorse Pub, Hillheads Rd., Whitley Bay NE23 8HR. From 7:30pm. £15.00
Sat 16: Lady Nade @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. ‘Lady Nade sings Nina Simone’.

Sun 17: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Forum Theatre, Billingham. 7:30pm.
Sun 17: QOW Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Spike Wells, Riley Stone-Lonergan & Eddie Myer.

Mon 18: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 18: Mark Williams Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 19: GoGo Penguin + Daudi Matsiko @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £22.00 + £4.40 bf.
Tue 19: Danny Lowndes’ Hot Club @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £5.00 bf.
Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Mark Robertson (drums).

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Jordan Jackson @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.80 (inc. bf); £15.40 (inc. bf).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Album review: Marques Carroll - The Ancestors Call

Marques Carroll (trumpet/flugelhorn); Brent Griffin (alto sax); Amyr Fahmy (piano); Christian Dillingham (bass); Greg Artry (drums) + Victor Garcia (congas); Alex Wasily (trombone);  Sharon Irving (vocals).

An interesting debut album by St Louis-born trumpeter Marques Carroll was recorded on August 14-16 2020 at Palisade Studios in Chicago, a city that has produced many fine and influential jazz musicians. Carroll composed and arranged all eight tunes and his melodic thoughtful approach, together with his superb sound, is evident on every number.

The Ancestors Call Amongst Us:  Nice solos from trombone and alto sax.  

Generations Response: Flugelhorn, alto sax and piano share the honours.    

Assemble the Enlightened: Alto sax and piano solo, 

Beyond the Battle: Starts with a short wild freak-out from trumpet and alto then goes into a catchy theme from the alto, before the tempo increases and it finishes with some explosive drumming from Greg Artry.   

Urgency: Very aptly named! Starts with staccato trumpet then it takes on a Mexican mariachi vibe after which we get a fluent alto solo.

Aries Goddess (for Consuela and the fallen):  The only track with a vocal which is OK with me although Sharon Irving is certainly worth hearing.

Resolution for Us: Out of tempo intro then a bass riff leading into some relaxed flugelhorn. 

Our Ancestors Final Words: A medium tempo groove with trumpet to the fore.       

I must also mention the fine playing of alto saxman Brent Griffin on this disc as he does a first-rate job and has a great sound which blends well during the themes. I have played this CD many times and all the tracks are worth repeated listening but, if I had to make a choice I would pick track 4 Beyond the Battle which reminds me of something Roy Hargrove once played. A second choice would be track 5 Urgency which makes me think of Mexico or Spain. One thing I like about this album is that they used an acoustic piano rather than electric piano, thus avoiding a retro feel that some bands seem to favour.     

Anyway I can say that anyone buying this fine album are unlikely be disappointed and for information about the many activities of Marques Caroll check out his website www.marquescarroll.com

Mike Farmer.

Release date - April 16.

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