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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. CANCELLED! 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ 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: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

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

Monday, March 15, 2021

Ten Charlie Parker Moments by Dave Brownlow

1945 Now’s The Time: Bird’s first record session as a leader which also produced the groundbreaking Koko. Many of the jazz fraternity of a certain age can still sing or whistle (or even play) Charlie’s blues solo from memory. A defining moment in modern jazz.

1946  Lover Man: A harrowing, disturbing listen. A disc which Charlie said should never be released, recorded just before his mental and physical breakdown. The halting, eerie, haunting track has a stark beauty where Bird is guided through the tune by trumpeter Howard McGhee and Jimmy Bunn at the piano.

1949 Segment: The day before flying out to Europe for the Paris Jazz Festival, Bird recorded a not-well-known session with Kenny Dorham, Al Haig, Tommy Potter and Max Roach. He’s on great form, ideas bursting out with originality, excitement, anticipation and verve. A tricky composition not played again on any known ‘on-location’ session.

1950 Ornithology: Truly a never-before-or-since aggregation - a super group from the bop era. Bird, Fats Navarro, Bud Powell, Curly Russell and Art Blakey. What a contest – probably won by Bud on the night…

1952 Turnstile/Rocker: Ever trying new ideas, Charlie was enthusiastic about Gerry Mulligan’s compositions. He played both these pieces on a free-wheeling session at the Rockland Palace where he used both his bands - the Quintet and the Strings - to great effect. Gerry also penned the Strings Theme - a delightful jazz waltz Bird used at the beginning and end of most ‘With Strings’ sets.

1953 I Can’t Get Started: Accompanied beautifully by Kenny Clarke, Ray Brown and John Lewis, this is a gentle, pensive, beguiling, pleading Bird performance where it sounds as though he was trying to communicate with Chan Richardson - his partner at the time - with whom he had a turbulent relationship. An absolutely inspiring bass line from Ray propels the piece at just the right tempo.  

1953 Perdido:  From the famous Massey Hall concert with Diz, Bud, Max and Mingus. First time I heard this aged 17 I was hooked and still am! Such tone - even with the plastic alto - such authority, such command of the situation. Bud’s supportive comping, Max’s swing, Diz’s clowning and Mingus’s strong rhythmical drive complete the picture.

1953 I Remember You:  This comes from a blistering quartet session with Al Haig, Max, and Percy Heath on bass. A majestic solo follows the piercing theme showing some of Charlie’s frustration pouring out. Bird’s sound is strong, angry but fully controlled in a masterpiece performance thrown together at the session itself.

1981 To Bird With Love: A giant compendium of photos and text presented by Frenchman Francis Paudras from Chan Richardson’s archives of Bird material - family snaps, contracts letters, drawings, documents etc showing how life was with unpredictable Charlie
 (Paudras later ‘rescued’ Bud Powell for a time providing him with accommodation and a home-life in Paris later in his life).

Bird Flight: A radio programme broadcast daily by Parker authority Phil Schaap from station WKCR FM New York who over months and years has presented and discussed every single note played by Charlie in his life  captured on disc or tape. The most thorough analysis ever made and still available online.

Dave B.

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