Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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, April 12, 2021

Album review: Ian Charleton Big Band - A Fresh Perspective

Some nice Basie-like sounds on the opening two tracks, both originals by the leader as is the title track, a romp in 6/4 time that has wailing soprano by Garcia, lyrical flugel by Kerry Moffit and all driven along by Habib's drumming.

Vocalist Emily Charleton just happens to be married to the leader but I'm sure she'd have got the gig anyway judging by her earthy rendition of Rogers and Hart's Everything I've Got - that Larry Hart could sure pen a lyric!

More lyricism from Moffit on a rather ponderous arrangement of Stardust that is rescued by the solo. Moffit remains down front, switching to trumpet for El Otoño with Garcia playing a spiky alto solo.

Emily returns for a strident Blue Skies with the tenor solo by Philbrick rather more restrained.

Kuebler plays a delicate take on the verse to Tea For Two before the band enter in  slow, slow, quick, quick slow mode.

When Sunny Gets Blue isn't the dreamy version we're used to but a fast Latin number with trombonist Lloyd displaying no shortage of agility and Philbrick once more stretching out on tenor.

Party on Park arranged, as all were, by Ian Charleton, was also one of his originals and, just as the album began, goes out on a Basie kick with some gutsy baritone from Fatek, blues guitar from Wes Wagner and, of course, Kuebler on piano.

A nice, swingin' big band album.

Lance

West 87th Street; Sunday Morning; A Fresh Perspective; Everything I've Got; Stardust; El Otoño; Blue Skies; Tea For Two; When Sunny Gets Blue; Party on Park.

Ian Charleton (leader/arranger); Richard Garcia (alto/soprano sax); Jason Hammers (alto sax); Keith Philbrick, Michael Ferrante (tenor sax); David Fatek (baritone sax); Mark Oates, Pete Sutorius, Mark Nixon, Kerry Moffit (trumpets/flugels); John Lloyd, Lisa Drefke, Carl Lundgren, Dandrick Glenn (trombones); Bart Kuebler (piano); Wes Wagner (guitar); Ryan Persaud (bass); Bob Habib (drums); Emily Charleton (vocals) 

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