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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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

Thursday, April 01, 2021

Album review: Down For The Count Concert Orchestra - at the cold stores

This isn't the rip-roaring swing band I remembered from a previous release. This is the Concert Orchestra which is a totally different ball game. How could it not be with all those strings augmenting the the saxes, brass and percussion? 

So what is the score?

Capitol Records. The iconic building in Los Angeles where so many classic recordings were made by Sinatra, Cole and Garland and where the wonderful arrangements by Nelson Riddle did so much to keep those singers' careers afloat. Musical director and producer Mike Paul-Smith has successfully tweaked them to suit the ensemble and to recreate that Capitol/Riddle sound whilst, at the same time, celebrating Nelson Riddle's centenary.

George Simmonds blows the famous trombone solo on I've Got You Under my Skin - to play the Riddle arrangement of the Cole Porter tune without the trombone solo would be akin to playing High Society without the Picou clarinet solo or failing to shout "Oh play that thing!" on Dippermouth Blues.

Apart from the trombone solo, Alex Western-King has a couple of tasty tenor choruses and Simon Joyner blows a trumpet solo on Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps. However, this is predominately a vocal album with all 13 tracks split between three very good singers who manage to retain a degree of identity without losing sight of the source.

Katie Birtill: The Man That Got Away; Secret Love; Day In, Day Out; Nature Boy.
Hannah Castleman: That Old Devil Called Love; Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps; When I Fall in Love; Zing! Went the Strings of my Heart.
Callum Gillies: Mona Lisa; More; Mr. Bojangles; I've Got You Under my Skin; Stardust.

It's an album that's well worth checking out if you're in an easy listening mood and haven't got the originals. Plus, if you're out and about in the Sloane Square area on June 6 you should drop by Cadogan Hall for the album launch. After hearing the whole shebang live, I gurantee you won't leave empty handed!
Lance

Release date is April 30 and there are two launch concerts at Cadogan Hall on June 6 for which tickets are now available from the venue.

Mike Paul-Smith (MD); Max Fagandini, Luke Davies, Simon Joyner (trumpets); George Simmonds (trombone/bass trombone); Katie Edwards (alto sax.clarinet); Alex Western-King (tenor sax/clarinet); Luke Pinkstone (tenor sax/clarinet/flute); Jamie Hone (baritone sax/clarinet); Alex Howgego (piano); Charlie Pyne (bass); Sam Ainslie (guitar); James Smith (drums); Dae Hyun Lee (percussion); Katie Birtill, Hannah Castleman, Callum Gillies (vocals) + City String Ensemble (12 strings).
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