Total Pageviews

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

17680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 23 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Jan. 9).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sun 12: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: King Bees @ The Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.
Sun 12: Dave Bottomley @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.
Sun 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 13: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 13: Raymond MacDonald & Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £TBC.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ 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 15, 2021

Midweek, it must be Small's

(Screenshot by Russell)
Lew Tabackin Quartet live streaming from Small's, NYC - April 13

Lew Tabackin (tenor sax); John Eckert (trumpet, flugelhorn); Yasushi Nakamura (double bass); Jason Tiemann (drums)

Live streams at Small's consist of two one hour sets. This review is of Tuesday evening's second set, starting at half past midnight (BST). Two octogenarians joined forces with two of New York's younger generation to play some familiar and not so familiar numbers. The principals, Lew Tabackin, 81 years young, blew tenor sax and flute, and John Eckert, at 82, blew trumpet and flugel. 

A Tabackin chart, a blues titled Chasing the Carrot laid down a marker, our bandleader hopping around like a spring chicken. Coleman Hawkins' Hanid (Tabackin said Hank Jones claimed to have written the number) featured Tabackin on tenor with an opportunity for bassist Yasushi Nakamura to show what he could do. Yet another great bass player is Mr Nakamura. Body and Soul made the cut, as did Trinkle Tinkle (Kinda wants to make me go to the bathroom quipped Tabackin), indeed, Monk's composition just about came out tops with Jason Tiemann contributing a marvellous drum solo. Jimmy Knepper's Leaves of Absinthe based on the changes to Lullaby of the Leaves closed the set with Nakamura once again impressing.     

(Screenshot by Russell)
Clovis Nicolas Quintet live streaming from Small's, NYC - April 14 

John Boutellier (tenor sax); Jeremy Pelt (trumpet); Miki Yamanaka (piano); Clovis Nicolas (double bass); Jimmy Macbride (drums)

Small's French Jazz series benefits from financial input from the French government and this evening's set presented bassist Clovis Nicolas with his quintet featuring fellow countryman John Boutellier who blew some tremendous tenor sax, upholding the Greenwich Village venue's reputation as a NYC bebop hotspot. Boutellier's frontline partner just happened to be Jeremy Pelt. The post bop/post Blakey trumpeter matched the Frenchman every step of the way. 

Miki Yamanaka seemingly picks up lots of Big Apple gigs and it's no surprise, the NYC resident Japanese pianist is a fine player. Drummer Kimmy Macbride is another making a name for himself in the hothouse environment of the city that never sleeps. A fine quintet, its leader Monsieur Nicolas content to let the music and the musicians speak. Set highlights? Hutch (written in honour of drummer Gregory Hutchinson) and a swift take on Fine and Dandy.  
Russell

No comments :

Blog Archive