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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Lapwing Jazz Trio @ Three Sheets to the Wind, Alnwick. 5:15pm or 5:45pm (times tbc). Part of the Alnwick Story Festival's music fringe programme: Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Joseph O’Brien: The Ultimate Tribute to Frank Sinatra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. O’Brien & seven piece band (inc. Wendy Kirkland, Jim Corry & Pat Sprakes).
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. 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

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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