Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ 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: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

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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