Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18918 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 782 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 18.) 61.

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

September.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Tue 22: ???

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A John Coltrane Centenary Concert (b. 23. 09. 1926). SOLD OUT!
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 24: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 24: Arun Ghosh @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £21.05. (£22.00. on the door). A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 24: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 25: Mark Williams Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Get the Blessing + Dilettante @ The Cluny (Cluny 2), Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00. + bf. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 25: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 26: Adam Fairhall & Johnny Hunter: Play Mary Lou Williams @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 26: John Pope Quintet + Urvashi @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.40. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Saturday, March 13, 2021

Live at Joe's: Jaki Byard - Mar. 13

Joe Webb (piano)

Joe Webb's Saturday afternoon live stream sessions continue to attract new online listeners. Last week's live stream set focused on the music of Erroll Garner, today Joe looked at the work of Jaki Byard. The late American's career was nothing short of impressive: a multi-instrumentalist, piano his main instrument, an affinity with ragtime and stride pianists and a commitment to free jazz, many recordings as a bandleader (trio to big band), sideman jobs with Maynard Ferguson, Roland Kirk, Charles Mingus and others. So, plenty for pianist Joe Webb to take a look at!

Bop from the first notes on Chandra seamlessly incorporating stride patterns, a great start to this afternoon's live stream! Webb's casual commentary pieced together a set of eight tunes. Besame Mucho from Byard's Parisian Solos early seventies' album, Dedicated to Bob Vatel of the Ten Gallons (Byard's tribute to fellow pianist Bob Vatel) from the same recording featured more stunning stride piano playing. Online comments were most complimentary about Webb's mastery of his instrument. Our live streamer said it had taken twenty years of practice to get him to this point in his career. At the age of thirty one time is on his side, perhaps he'll improve! 

'Round Midnight is a tune Webb hadn't played until today. Of course he knew the tune, but this was, in effect, a first time performance. Randy Weston's Hi-Fly from Byard's album of the same name posed few problems for Webb, humming the melody as he went without the need to refer to the sheet music in front of him, a fleeting quote from Monk's 'Round Midnight. Quite remarkable. 

Aluminum Baby from Byard's first album referenced A Night in Tunisia featuring truly spectacular playing by Webb. Excerpts from 'Yamecraw' (once again from Byard's Hi-Fly album) appeared to pay homage to James P Johnson's Yamecraw. In closing, Webb remembered to plug this evening's 'Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington' set from Kansas Smitty's at eight o'clock. Webb playing One Two Five, was, as they say, something else! If nothing else, check out this last number on Joe's Facebook page, you won't believe how he did it!      
Russell     

Set list: Chandra; Besame Mucho; Dedicated to Bob Vatel of the Ten Gallons; 'Round Midnight; Hi-Fly; Aluminum Baby; Excerpts from 'Yamecraw'; One Two Five
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