bebop spoken here: EP Launch: Esther Bennett

From This Moment On

August
Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).
Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.
Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.
Sat 22: Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham Alumni All Stars + Swing Manouche @ Darlington Market Place. From 1:00pm. Free. The All Stars (1:00pm); The Alumni (2:00-4:00pm); Swing Manouche (4:15pm).

Monday, April 26, 2021

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.

Tonight, or rather last night as I'm a day late with the review, Duncan Lamont Jr. was on the gig and, not surprisingly they played one of his dad's tunes - There Ain't Nothin' Like the Blues which was, in actual fact, on the aforementioned album.

However, the emphasis of this session was on Esther's new EP that features five of her original compositions: Wandering Lost; Yellow Label Stuff; End of Summer; Forever Now (subtitled Ode to Duncan) and Please (Save me). All interesting and varied and digitally available on Bandcamp for a deep sea diver (£5)!

Intermingled with the items from the album were choice interpretations of Just in Time; Rio de Janeiro; Stolen Moments; There Ain't Nothin' Like the Blues plus a trio instrumental which, I think, I recognised as Dolphin Dance.

Esther was in great voice, the backing superb and some impressive blowing on tenor and baritone by yet another fine female sax worker. Great gutsy sound, I'll be looking forward to hearing Hannah Horton again. Needless to say, Duncan lived up to the standard set by his father.

My only complaint was that the distant fixed camera didn't allow for any close-ups. The visual impact always adds to the occasion. The event was promoted by Mood Indigo Events but I'm not sure where the actual location was - help!

Lance

Try/buy.