International Jazz Day @ The Globe: Matt Carmichael Quartet - April 30

(Photo by Debra M)

Matt Carmichael (tenor sax); Fergus McCreadie (piano); Ali Watson (bass); Tom Potter (drums).

An interesting session on this auspicious occasion - International Jazz Day and the Jazz Co-op's seventh birthday. They said it would never last but the fact that it has got this far suggests that it is in it for as long as it takes. 

In olden days (pre-2020), International Jazz Day at the Globe would have had players of all standards from across the region jamming and forming unplanned musical alliances - happy days!

Louis Armstrong House Museum International Jazz Day Celebration! - April 30

(Screenshot by Patti D)

The Louis Armstrong House Museum's contribution to International Jazz Day opened with Catherine Russell (daughter of Luis Russell) and Champian Fulton singing On the Sunny Side of the Street. Ricky Riccardi moderated an online discussion with members of staff who have the amazing privilege of spending their working days in the Armstrong House. 

Album review: Dave Holland – Another Land

Dave Holland (bass/bass guitar);. Kevin Eubanks (guitar); Obed Calvaire (drums)

If you were to stack all the albums that Dave Holland has appeared on as leader or sideman on top of each other, you’d need to put a flashing light on top as a warning to low flying aircraft. Holland is one of the two most significant British branches on the Miles Davis family tree and is, by any measure, a national treasure. At an age when a national treasure is entitled to the tartan rug, comfy slippers and Ovaltine he continues to develop, to seek, to challenge and adapt and his productivity is as high as it ever was.

International Jazz Day - Scottish National Jazz Orchestra

(Press release)

Hi, I’m in the 12th Century Cathedral of St. Giles, in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland, and just presented JAZZ to 10,000 Scottish primary school kids at 10:00 AM today on International Jazz Day, and as part of Scotland's first Assembly.

The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra are also filming tonight a fantastic symbiotic collaboration called WHERE RIVERS MEET with visual artist Maria Rud which will be released on May 12.

I’d like to welcome all of you to our celebration of International Jazz Day, where people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, and beliefs join forces and prove, without a doubt, that our similarities are more powerful than our differences.

Ten Irish Jazz Musicians from the 1960s and '70s: No. 2 - Tony Drennan

The piano player with the Butler Fox band (see No. 1) was a delightful and very gentle man named Tony Drennan. He was totally dedicated to jazz, and piano in particular, sometimes to the detriment of the more practical things in life it must be said. While his favourite piano player was Teddy Wilson, he was an excellent exponent of both boogie woogie and stride piano and was a big fan of Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson and Fats Waller. At any Butler Fox band session he would always be given the opportunity to play a couple of boogie solos, Honky Tonk Train Blues being one of my favourites.

Ladies Of Midnight Blue Livestreaming From The King's Hall – April 29

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)

Hannabiel Sanders (bass trombone, African and Latin Percussion, mbira); Yilis del Carmen Suriel (African and Latin percussion, mbira) + guests Mariam Rezaei (turntable); Luke Gaul (electric guitar)

This was 30 minutes of exciting music, an unusual fusion of African and Latin sounds, described on the Newcastle University website as music of the African diaspora. Three long pieces which I'd guess were partly improvised, with perhaps a basic structure, directed by musical signals from the participants.

Roll Of Thunder began atmospherically, with a tinkling rhythm and ominous low boom, on a stage decked out with drums of all sizes, a laptop, and Yilis holding a large hollow sphere which seemed to have keys inside, and which I assume is the mbira.

Julian Siegel Quartet livestreaming from Ronnie Scott's - April 29

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)

Julian Siegel (tenor sax/bass clarinet); Liam Noble (piano); Oli Hayhurst (bass); Gene Calderazzo (drums).

A relatively straight ahead blowing session. I say relatively because there were moments when they strayed from the straight and narrow and I don't mean that in any derogatory sense. Quite the opposite in fact as these meanderings all added to the broad vista of the music. Vista is actually the title of a recent album of which several of the items played were drawn from and which I reviewed back in 2018. I liked it then and time has done nothing to change my mind.

Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone - April 29

(Photo by Russell)

Ray Harley (trumpet); Jim McBriarty (alto sax, soprano sax, vocals); Lawrence McBriarty (trombone); Brian Bennett (banjo); Paul Grainger (double bass); Fred Thompson (drums, vocals) 

It seems like it was last year that we last heard the Vieux Carre Jazzmen. Come to think of it, it was last year! The pandemic decimated the local gig scene and it's only now that we're starting the long road back to gigs, gigs and more gigs. Who would be in the VCJ? Who would be in the audience? In the grip of an Arctic blast, would some cry off? Since we were last in the Holystone's pub beer garden they've been doing a spot of DIY. A plastic corrugated roof above table and chairs leaked buckets, consequently said tables and chairs were sopping wet. That didn't deter the hardy faithful, given the weather you could call 'em troopers. The VCJ opened up with Way Down Yonder in New Orleans...if only!

Album Review: David Larsen - The Mulligan Chronicles

David Larsen (baritone sax); Dave Glenn (trombone); Bill Mays (piano); Dean Johnson (bass); Ron Vincent (drums).

This isn't a recreation of the legendary Mulligan pianoless quartet rather it's the culmination of several years of research by Larsen into the compositional style of Gerry Mulligan. The result shows that the research was well worthwhile with 13 arrangements of some of the late baritone saxist's lesser known compositions - I only knew Walkin' Shoes, Festive Minor and Open Country.

Get jazzed!

(Press release)

jazzed, the world’s first dedicated audio-visual streaming destination for jazz, has today announced details of a brand-new add-on service which will offer its subscribers exclusive access to livestream concerts from a selection of the greatest jazz clubs in the world.

Set to revolutionize the live jazz club industry, jazzed Live will work with leading jazz clubs to connect jazz artists with jazz fans around the globe through a state-of-the-art digital live streaming platform.  To date, jazzed Live has confirmed concerts at The Jazz Café in London, Berlin’s A-Trane and Gregory’s Jazz Club in Rome with more clubs globally to follow. The full jazzed Club Network will commercially launch October this year.

Women in Jazz Media - Live at the Vortex

As Russell has pointed out in the previous post and as I did in an earlier one, tomorrow isn't just another day to jam on Gone With the Wind but it's International Jazz Day. A day especially important to The Jazz Co-op as its also their seventh birthday. 

Looking at the listings it is incredible to see the number of events taking place worldwide and it would be in effect an insult to all of the others to single out one individual happening. However, I'm going to do it anyway even if it means getting slagged off on Facebook (c'mon Lance, the jazz community is above that sort of palaver!).

Preview: International Jazz Day (April 30)

Tomorrow (Friday) is International Jazz Day. Hundreds, if not thousands, of events will be taking place across the globe. In an earlier post BSH's Editor-in-Chief previewed Newcastle Jazz Co-op's contribution to the annual shindig, a live stream concert co-promotion with Jazz North East featuring the Matt Carmichael Quartet. 

The Louis Armstrong House Museum's participation takes the form of a discussion (with videos and live music) from noon EST (5:00pm BST). Whether by accident or design, Cyrille Aimée's new duo album launch gig with guitarist Michaël Valeanu live streaming from Mezzrow, NYC (11:00pm BST) on International Jazz Day is certain to pull in a few more punters. Similarly, the BBC is to repeat Oliver Murray's documentary Ronnie's: Ronnie Scott and His Famous Jazz Club at 10:00pm (BBC 4), followed by 'another chance to see' Jazz 625: for One Night Only featuring programme highlights spanning 1964 to 1966. To view the long, long list of worldwide events visit: www.jazzday.com.   Russell

Remembering Alex Welsh: Live at Jack's Place - April 28

(Screenshot by Russell)

Jamie Brownfield (trumpet); Andrzej Baranek (piano); Ed Harrison (double bass); Jack Cotterill (drums) 

Week thirteen at Jack Cotterill's place, this evening's live stream featuring the music of Alex Welsh. Initially Facebook played silly beggars resulting in a delay of some fifteen minutes. Host Jack Cotterill put another shilling in the meter and we were in business. New Orleans Masquerade stomped off with Jamie Brownfield firing on all cylinders. No time for inter-song chatter, straight on with a super-swift take on Chinatown, My Chinatown. Yes, things had gotten off to a flyer, as our American cousins might say. 

Album Review: Glenn Close & Ted Nash - Transformation

Ted Nash (composer, conductor, sop sax); Glenn Close (curator); Wayne Brady, Amy Irving, Matthew Stevenson, Eli Nash (spoken word); Wynton Marsalis (trumpet) + Members of the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra 

This album is a collection of spoken word and jazz on the theme of transformation, metamorphoses, big changes of all kinds, including the creation of life itself, the changes in the life of a transgender person, normal life after being in prison, changes for people of colour, the climate crisis. The readings are from the work of writers such as poet Ted Hughes.

Album review: Noah Haidu, Buster Williams, Billy Hart - Slowly: Song For Keith Jarrett

Noah Haidu (piano); Buster Williams (bass); Billy Hart (drums).

A rather splendid tribute to the now retired piano legend Keith Jarrett by a pianist who, although new to me, was acknowledged by JazzTimes in 2011 as "a rising star" and, by Jazzwise, as "an important new talent"  which just shows you what happens when you take your eye off the ball. 

My eyes  are back on the ball!

Album review: Jacqui Naylor - The Long Game

Jacqui Naylor (vocals/comps.); Art Khu (keys/guitar); Jon Evans (bass/guitar/backing vocals); Josh Jones (drums/perc.)

So many albums being released these days it's nigh impossible to review or even listen to other than a very small percentage. This one got through as it was reported as being her eleventh release and the wide variety of numbers are, to say the least, intriguing.

Hannabiell & Yilis LIVE Concert at Home (April 29)

Tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon the Ladies of Midnight Blue will perform a streamed concert in Newcastle University's LIVE Concerts at Home series. In non-pandemic times Hannabiell Sanders (bass trombone, African and Latin percussion, mbira) and Yilis del Carmen Suriel (African and Latin percussion, mbira) could have anticipated performing to a full house in King's Hall but, as the exit from lockdown is a long and winding road, their set of three quarters of an hour will be an online event. They will be joined by turntablist Mariam Rezaei and bassist Luke Gaul. Log on to Newcastle University's website in time for a 1:15 start.

Russell.    

APPJAG 2021 - Time to vote for your favourites ...

(Press Release)

Voting is now open for the 2021 Parliamentary Jazz Awards, which this year will take place online. Entries are open to anyone with the final deadline set for midnight on Tuesday 14^th May 2021. The Parliamentary Awards celebrate and recognise the vibrancy, diversity, talent and breadth of the jazz scene throughout the United Kingdom.

"These awards are a great opportunity to celebrate the talents and energies of the great musicians, educators, promoters, record labels, jazz organisations, blogs, jazz magazines and journalists who keep jazz flourishing, in spite of the challenges they faced in 2020”.  John Spellar MP, Lord Mann, Co-chairs of APPJAG, Alison Thewless MP and Chi Onwurah MP, Vice Chairs.

To vote please go to: 

Matt MacKellar Band livestreaming from The Black Swan, Newcastle - April 27

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)

Matt MacKellar (drums); Andy Champion (bass guitar); Ben Lawrence (keys) + Evie Hill (vocals).

A few tech. probs. at BSH HQ meant I didn't make my entrance to the Black Swan's virtual Press Box until 10 minutes after the advertised start time. Fortunately, the band were still on the opener - Continuum - a somewhat introspective piece by Jaco Pastorius that set the mood for the evening. This wasn't going to be a putting the boot in set as much as a time for displaying the more melodic side of the contemporary scene.

A selection of recent albums.

Berta Moreno - Tumaini.

Dan Moretti - Tres Libre.

Dan Rose - Last Night.

Dan Rose, Claudine Francois - New Leaves.

Francesco Amanta - Midtown Walk.

Jalen Baker - This is Me.

Jeremy Monteiro - Live at No Black Tie.

John Daversa - All Without Words.

Kenny Polson - Colors of Brazil.

Øyvind Brække - Aller Anfang ist schwer.

Richard X Bennnett - RXB3.

Roy Mor - After the Real Thing.

Tim Mayer - Keeper of the Flame.

Lance

Ten British pianists who moved to America.

Ronnie Ball (1927 - 1984): Left for America in 1952. Played with Chuck Wayne, Kai Winding, Roy Eldridge, JATP, Buddy Rich, Warne Marsh, Art Pepper. More.

Victor Feldman (1934 - 1987): Left for America in 1955. Played with Woody Herman, Cannonball Adderley, Buddy De Franco, Mils Davis, Peggy Lee. More.

Dill Jones (1923 - 1984): Left for America in 1961. Played with Jimmy McPartland, Budd Johnson and other mainstreamers. More.

Marian McPartland (1918  - 2013): Left for America in 1945 after marrying trumpet Jimmy McPartland. More.

A Monday Service from Kansas Smitty's - April 26

(Screenshot by Russell)

Adrian Cox (clarinet, vocals); Giacomo Smith (clarinet)

A Monday Service for the simple reason Preacher Cox was too busy yesterday due to a filming commitment. Thanks to Giacomo Smith, clarinetist Cox had the run of Kansas Smitty's. Near enough one hundred were online for an eight thirty start. The first couple of tunes put Raymond Burke in the spotlight - Hindustan and Anytime You're Feeling Lonely, Anytime You're Feeling Blue. Cox the vocalist excelled on the blues In the Evening with some in-the-wings harmony from special guest, and fellow clarinetist, Mr Giacomo Smith. 

EP Launch: Esther Bennett - Safe Places. April 25

(Screenshots by Lance)

Esther Bennett (vocals); Terence Collie (piano); Richard Sadler (bass); Sophie Alloway (drums); Matt Hodge (perc.) + Hannah Horton (tenor/baritone sax); Duncan Lamont Jr. (flute/soprano/tenor sax).

First time I heard Esther was back in 2010 at the Spice of Life. That night she sang On a Clear Day and jammed with some other songbirds on Route 66. Ten years elapsed before I heard her again, this time with Sarah Moule on an album dedicated to the songs of the late Duncan Lamont.

Album review: Têlêmaque - the King's Hall Concert

Joe McPhee (sax/trumpet); John Pope (double bass); Paul Hession (percussion)  

Live recordings of improvised music don’t usually work for me but the latest release by the fledgling New Jazz and Improvised Recording Label is a fine exception. The King’s Hall Concert by Têlêmaque is an exceptional recording so thrilling that at times it felt like I was actually experiencing the music live. The album was recorded in Newcastle University’s King’s Hall in 2018.

International Jazz Day @ The Globe - Friday April 30 - The Matt Carmichael Quartet

(Picture from Globe website)

Wow! Friday is really going to be a special day! New Orleans Bands will be marching down the high streets, bebop will be played over the tannoy outside of every pub and Albert Ayler will provide easy listening for the shoppers in ASDA.

And, if you are housebound, every radio station will be playing Stan Getz or Dizzy Gillespie.

Ten Irish Jazz Musicians from the 1960s and 70s

Like Newcastle in the 1960s and 70s Dublin was full of venues with live music and in particular you could find clubs and bars offering live jazz most nights. As I was a frequent visitor to many of these places my BSH List of 10  is Irish jazz musicians I heard playing live during this period.

Number 1 - Rock Fox (aka Chas Meredith) - trumpet and saxophone

I first heard live jazz as a teenager in our local village hall in Foxrock outside Dublin. It was a mainstream seven-piece group called the Butler Fox Jazz Band and the sound of all the musicians playing together at full volume made an indelible impression on the 50 or so youngsters crammed into the tiny room. One of the leaders, Rock Fox, was an amateur jazz historian who made wonderfully long-winded introductions to each track, particularly those by his favourite composer Duke Ellington, in a rich, mellifluous accent that greatly increased the entertainment value of the session. 

Sunday Night @ The Globe: JazzMain - April 25

(Photo by Debra Milne)

Nick Gould (tenor sax); Steve Grossart (keys); Iain Harkness (5 string electric bass); Kevin Dorrian (drums).

Always good to hear JazzMain when they make their occasional forays south of the border down Railway St. way. 

Sunday in New York was an appropriate starter. Admittedly we weren't in New York but it was Sunday and, being Sunday, we were virtually in The Globe which is the next best thing to being in Birdland. Indeed, on a Sunday night in Newcastle, it's the only game in town. Lockdown or no lockdown these guys hadn't neglected their chops.

Leeds/Manchester band Floorkin - Noise Bath. digital release (April 22)

Robin Forkin (production, piano, electronics); Dom Kilsby (production, drums); Nancy Carter (double bass, harp); Emyr Penry Dance (trumpet, cello)

This album has been funded by Manchester Jazz Festival, under the guidance of the contemporary jazz saxophonist Lara Jones.

Intriguing new music to soothe you through these tough times "amalgamating sounds natural and unnatural into a 3D soundscape of textures... involving improvisation with electronics and instruments"

Listen/find out more ...

Album review: Schapiro 17 - Human Qualities

Composer, arranger, educator, Jon Schapiro recorded a second big band album almost two years ago, a follow up to the critically acclaimed New Shoes: Kind of Blue at 60. Thanks to the ongoing pandemic, it is only now that Human Qualities has surfaced on Summit Records. The '17' are the seventeen musicians (all of them top class) contributing to Schapiro's musical vision. 

A Limited Re-Stream with Tom Harrell - April 23-25

The BBC has been known to roll out the line 'another chance to hear/see'. In other words, a repeat broadcast of a programme shown days, weeks, months, possibly years ago. Now, in these online jazz gig times, venues are offering a similar service. NYC's Village Vanguard is currently plugging a 'limited re-stream' opportunity to watch a Tom Harrell performance first streamed in September 2020. 

Ella forever - April 25

(Screenshot by Russell)

On this day (April 25) in 1917 Ella Fitzgerald was born. This evening at 7:30 a present day Ella will be singing on her YouTube channel. Recent Royal College of Music graduate Ms Ella Hohnen-Ford (pictured with Will Arnold-Foster and Will Sach) is an emerging talent, be sure to check her out.

Russell

KSTV: Kansas Smitty's playback session: Keith Jarrett's Belonging - April 24

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)

Joe Webb (piano); Giacomo Smith (tenor sax, soprano sax); Will Sach (double bass); Luca Caruso (drums) + Camilla George (alto sax)

Jack and Giacomo made the introductions. Giacomo admitted this evening's playback session would take him out of his comfort zone. The album in question, Keith Jarrett's Belonging, recorded on the ECM label in 1974, would become known for the music performed by his 'European Quartet' as distinct from his established American band. Additional material would be drawn from Jarrett's American quartet.  

Derek Nash's Sax Appeal livestreaming from the 606 - April 24

(Screenshot by Lance)

Derek Nash (soprano/alto/tenor/baritone saxes); Neil Angilley (piano); Phil Scragg (bass guitar); Mike Bradley (drums).

Another super Saturday at the 606 with some stompingly good jazz. I may not have been dancing physically but, deep down inside I was! Nash blew up a storm on baritone, tenor, alto and a curved, 1920's Buescher True Tone soprano that he got from Tim Garland. What a pedigree that instrument must have!

Joe Webb & Will Sach live streaming from the kitchen - April 24

Joe Webb (piano); Will Sach (double bass)

This week Joe Webb was joined by a mainstay of the Kansas Smitty's outfit, bassist Will Sach. An upright piano standing against a white wall in Joe's kitchen, Will positioned to our pianist's left, the set kicked off with the Rube Bloom-Ted Koehler tune Truckin'. It's likely Will played without amplification, the kitchen's acoustics lending themselves to an excellent, natural sound balance. 

Jazz Time Aycliffe Radio - 25/4/2021

Playlist Sunday 25.04.21:

Count Basie; Tommy Dorsey; Lindsay Hannon; Jane Monheit; Artie Shaw; Alfa Mist; Bix Beiderbecke; Jelly Roll Morton; Tolvan Big Band; Emma Fisk;

At the Globe Newcastle: Not Now Charlie; Matt Carmichael; 

Dizzy Gillespie; Ma Rainey; Peggy Lee Quincy Jones; Django Reinhardt; Sonny Rollins; Wynton Marsalis JLCO; Freddie Hubbard.

Spring is Here with Paul & Vasilis - April 23

(Screenshot by Russell)

Paul Edis (piano); Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax)

Spring has sprung. Jazz gigs and residencies are beginning to be confirmed up and down the land. Here on Tyneside the first outdoor, socially distanced gig is just five days away, indoor events are set to resume from May 20. What this means for the live stream remains to be seen. 

Spike Wilner Trio live streaming from Smalls, NYC - April 22

Spike Wilner (piano); Tyler Mitchell (double bass); Anthony Pinciotti (drums) + Mike Fahn (valve trombone); Joe Magnarelli (trumpet)

On the eve of Spike Wilner's new album release, the man who runs Smalls and Mezzrow in Greenwich Village, pulled rank to play a gig at the latter venue. The pianist's regular trio partners, Tyler Mitchell, bass, and drummer Anthony Pinciotti, were there with him and later in the set he would be joined by two special guests. 

Happy Birthday Surprise for Alan Broadbent

Today is pianist Alan Broadbent's 74th birthday. It's also St. George's Day so maybe we should get our priorities right. Alan's claim to fame isn't, maybe, slaying dragons but knocking out audiences with his piano playing along with his arranging and composing skills.

Friends and colleagues have got together to produce a video as a surprise birthday present which kicks off at 17:45 BST.

It's counting down now so get watching via this YouTube link.

Happy Birthday Alan from all at Bebop Spoken Here.

Lance

In the photo your editor is flanked by Georgia Mancio (l) and Alan (r)

Album review: The Spontaneous Music Ensemble - Question and Answer 1966

The Spontaneous Music Ensemble enjoys mythical status, not least among free jazz devotees. Its driving force, drummer John Stevens, determined early in his career to focus upon 'free' and 'improvised' music. From the mid-sixties until his untimely death in 1994, Stevens' story is one of creative achievement with little in the way of financial reward. 

Ten 10" albums I still play (occasionally). 10. Joe Sullivan Plays Fats Waller

Number 10 was going to be Sinatra's In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning but, as there are two volumes - both great - to select one over the other would be akin to favouring one twin over the other plus, as recently as last year, I picked up a 12" album that contained both volumes so Frank had to go. Not too far away, however, as a future project in the pipeline may well be my favourite ten Sinatra albums.

Album review: Spike Wilner Trio - Aliens & Wizards

Spike Wilner (piano); Tyler Mitchell (double bass); Anthony Pinciotti (drums)

Spike Wilner is the man behind the success of Smalls (no apostrophe!) and Mezzrow (that's Mezzrow, partner venue to Smalls Jazz Club). Throughout the pandemic Wilner has kept the Greenwich Village, NYC venues going, seven nights a week, periodic lockdowns not withstanding. Now, in a new collaboration with Cory Weeds' Cellar Music Group, pianist Wilner has released an album in the company of long term trio partners Tyler Mitchell, bass, and drummer Anthony Pinciotti. 

Ten 10" albums I still play (occasionally). 9. Bud Powell Trio (Vogue L.D.E. 010)

Some of the best ever modern jazz piano can be heard on these eight tracks. Peterson and Garner were great but Powell, at least on this album, is the equal of both. 

The technique is dazzling, the harmony sublime, it swings so effortlessly, it is a blockbuster that set down the benchmark for every pianist who followed.

Spring is Here (on Friday night)

Following their popular live-streamed concerts in February and March featuring the music of Jerome Kern and Harold Arlen, Vasilis Xenopoulos (sax) and Paul Edis (piano) return to perform a 60 minute live-streamed set of music inspired by the theme of Spring.

Live from Rokit Studio in London, on Friday 23rd April.

The live-stream will be available to watch for 7 days after the event has ended.

Link.

Lance

(Thanks to Brian and Jerry for the reminders)

Fundraiser - Mooney's Blues

Back in 2018 I was down in London for some jazz occasion and, prior to the event, I was browsing through the music section of a bookshop (Skoob Books) that was part of a shopping complex near Russell Square where I got into conversation with an amicable Irish singer/songwriter/guitarist - Nigel Mooney.

We exchanged a couple of emails and, as happens in the ephemeral world of entertainment, lost contact.

However ...

Nigel has asked me to assist with a fundraiser for his latest album - Mooney's Blues. It will, I'm sure, be a cracker!*

Details.

Lance

* Jean Toussaint on tenor sax!

Is This the Way to Camarillo?

There comes a time when one has to say that enough is enough. When BSH first went online in 2008 the occasional CD for review was heartily welcomed. However, the subsequent success of the blog has resulted in an avalanche of CDs, downloads etc. that I can no longer cope with the load.

Below are just some of the items I've had to pass over and that's not counting the downloads which are usually totally outside the concept of BSH (don't ask me to explain that concept as I no longer know what it is myself!) so please, if you email me and I don't reply I'm not being discourteous it's through sheer overload. Like the legendary camel, the next CD may be my equivalent of the straw that did for the camel!*

Hello from Mike Tilley

(Press release)

For some time we have be talking about video production and live streaming from Newcastle Arts Centre , with the idea of running our own YouTube channel with a working title of Newcastle Arts TV. 

This will include live performances, tours of exhibitions and interviews with creators. Currently we are using our jazz programme to trial this project and are working towards a regular live channel from this May. Its open to creators in any medium to work with us as volunteers and join us in this challenging project. 

Email me at mikenewcastlearts@gmail.com 

Scroll down this link to see an extract from our first recording

The Sue Ferris Quartet. 

Ten 10" albums I still play (occasionally). 8. The Gerry Mulligan Quartet - Volume 1

Chet Baker (trumpet); Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax); Bob Whitlock (bass); Chico Hamilton (drums). 

Like so many of the albums in this series, younger listeners may wonder what all the fuss was about. I too, sometimes, also express doubts but, putting those doubts behind me, I go back to the moment in time when they appeared that is in the years prior to the advent of Elvis, The Beatles, Coltrane, Ornette and the various others who went for music sans frontières. 

Jazz night @ The ARC with Jeremy McMurray @ the Pocket Orchestra

(Press release)

Jazz returns to ARC this September. The fantastic ‘Pocket Orchestra’ led by Jeremy McMurray are back with an evening of relaxed jazz music. Put Thursday 30 September in your diary, when the band that brought Stockton a string of extremely popular sold-out events between 2017 – 2020 return to do the same again. 

Update on Sarah Moule's Stormy Emotions

 (Press release)

‘Moule captures every nuance of the late great lyricist’s words, beautifully set by Simon Wallace’ Dave Gelly, The Observer

‘Long established as one of the best jazz singers in the country’   Helen Mayhew JazzFM (UK)

‘This is an equilateral triangle that is just so perfectly balanced – words, music, voice. Each one enhancing the other with some icing on the cake from Wallace’s piano, Lockheart, Price, Cawood, bassists Hutton and Malcolm and drummers Robinson and Youngs’ Lance Liddle, Bebopspokenhere

‘Sarah Moule has a voice that inspires and comforts at the same time. The quality of her vocals makes you realize all is well in the jazz world…Altogether a simply wonderful album’  Sammy Stein, SomethingElse

Ten 10" Albums I still play (occasionally). 7. MJQ -- the classic performances of the Modern Jazz Quartet

The early 1950s saw the influx of jazz chamber music by such groups as the quartets of Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan and Milt Jackson, the latter group becoming The Modern Jazz Quartet or,  as it soon became better known as, the MJQ. That it was musically brilliant was without question, that it could also be boring is again, at times, without question. I recall seeing them at Newcastle's City Hall with pianist, bassist and local jazz critic the late Brian Fisher who, after a couple of numbers, closed his eyes and said, "wake me up when the hearse arrives!"

Rachael Cohen Quintet Livestreaming the music of Jackie McLean & Lee Morgan from Ronnie Scott's - April 19

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)

Rachael Cohen (alto sax); Mark Kavuma (trumpet); Deschanel Gordon (piano); Dan Casimar (bass); Shane Forbes (drums).

This was near enough about as good as it gets! An excellent set with five players at the top of their game putting their own take on some of the recordings by Jackie McLean and Lee Morgan. Classics recorded on Blue Note that have stood the test of time and, in doing so, provided material for tonight's stars to build upon and make their own.

Cohen's playing is, to put it mildly, absolutely sensational. Jackie McLean is alive and well in her hands - You looking for a jazz alto sax player? look no further!

Identification required

Is there anyone out there who can identify this soprano sax player? The photo is probably circa early 1990s and may have been a publicity shot sent prior to a gig at Newcastle's Live Theatre although Dave Clarke, who seeks the information, thinks he probably wasn't from the local area. Lance

The Geordie Jazzwise.

(Photo by Ken Drew)

Just as the 1953 F A Cup Final became known as "The Matthews Final"  - so called after Sir Stanley Matthews, then just plain Stan, whose Blackpool team beat Bolton Wanderers,* in years to come, the May 2021 issue of Jazzwise magazine could well be known as "The Gilby Jazzwise". Not only does the 2019 APPJAG winning vocalist's photograph appear on the magazine's page 3 - no it's not that kind of page 3 - there's also an interview with her as well as a four star review of her album Living in Shadows.

Album review: Chris Potter Circuits Trio - Sunrise Reprise

Chris Potter (tenor/soprano saxes, clarinets, flutes, sampler/keys); James Francies (piano, keys); Eric Harland (drums)

A slew of terrific sax players have plied their trade on livestreams and recordings in this last strangest year ever. I was curious then, how Chris Potter, widely touted as top titan of the tenor - post Michael Brecker - would sound to my ears after hearing some quite unbelievable playing from both sides of the Atlantic. From Stateside the likes of Wendell, Lovano and Redman as well as our own Trish Clowes, Alec Harper, Vasilis Xenopoulos, Harry Keeble and others.  On the evidence of this Edition Records follow up to his 2019 Circuits trio album, recorded in a short window of freedom in late 2020, I have to say he has a strong claim to top spot!

Ten 10" Albums I still play (occasionally). 6: Jazz Today - Operation Jam Session

National Service, RAF Manby, 1957. A fellow conscript, Dave Yeldham from Sheffield (anybody in Sheffield remember Dave? Is he still around?), brought in this Jazz Today album. I was blown apart, this was fantastic! I think I bought it from him with my life-savings which, at the time was probably about ten bob - or maybe I just bought him a pint, can't remember, it was a long time ago.

However, the album, the sleeve now tattered and torn, is one I still play - probably more frequently than any of the others in this series.

It's, in a sense, like an opera or a symphony building up to a grand finale.

Sunday Night @ the Globe: Abbie Finn Finntet - livestream April 18

(Screenshot by Lance)

Abbie Finn (drums); Graham Hardy (trumpet); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Dean Stockdale (piano); Paul Grainger (bass).

A cracking session, very much in the Jazz Messengers' mode which is not surprising as that band provided the template for the many hard bop bands that followed. The EmCee 5 was one north east band who took up the baton. Another was Don Forbes's Safe Sextet, one of several others who carried it for a while and now it's in the very capable hands of the Abbie Finn Finntet.