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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

18037 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 458 of them this year alone and, so far, 36 this month (June 11).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sun 15: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:00pm.
Sun 15: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Hannah Brine Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free. Concert performance (open to the public)..
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00.

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.br/> Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Saturday, March 20, 2021

Album review: Sam Braysher Trio - Dance Little Lady, Dance Little Man

Sam Braysher (alto sax); Tom Farmer (bass); Jorge Rossy (drums/vibes/marimba).

If you thought that cool was no longer a part of the jazz lexicon then you'd better think again.

Sam Braysher is as cool as a crew cut once was, as an ice cold drink still is and yet he is anything but bland. There's warmth too. It's a bit like the enigmatic question as to why we blow on our hands to warm them yet blow on our tea or coffee to cool them? Sam Braysher's like that, he has it both ways!

Tone-wise the sound is related to Konitz, Desmond or early Art Pepper but the application is different. He uses notes and phrases differently. Sometimes sparingly other times with virtuoso flourishes. Seeking to redefine a variety of standards without taking away the essence of the tune whilst still making it his own. If he'd been a singer he'd have done with a lyric what Sinatra did.

With Farmer providing the all important harmonic foundation - sympathetically helped along by Rossy's drumming - we have an album that's easy to listen to but a 1000 miles away from being filed under "Easy Listening".

Rossy also plays vibes on a beautiful rendition of Some Other Spring and marimba on a rather doom-laden version of This Nearly Was Mine.

Incidentally, the finally number, Walking the Dog, is not to be confused with the Rufus Thomas' Walkin' the Dog. The latter is a Gershwin theme from the movie Shall We Dance. Just goes to show what a difference an apostrophe makes!

In the booklet to the CD Sam has provided what I'm sure are insightful observations on each track. However, as they are printed in very slightly different shades of grey I'll have to wait until I next visit Spec-savers to read them.

But, it's the notes on the album that count rather than the notes in the booklet and, on that score it is highly recommended.

Lance. 

PS: When is he going to show up on a livestream?

Available April 23. Pre-order.

For Regulars Only; Heart and Soul; One Note Samba; Some Other Spring; Pintxos (original); Little white Lies; The Sweetest sounds; Reflection; Shall We Dance?; This Nearly Was Mine; Walking the Dog.

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