Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

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 19, 2021

Rachael Cohen Quintet Livestreaming the music of Jackie McLean & Lee Morgan from Ronnie Scott's - April 19

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)
Rachael Cohen (alto sax); Mark Kavuma (trumpet); Deschanel Gordon (piano); Dan Casimar (bass); Shane Forbes (drums).

This was near enough about as good as it gets! An excellent set with five players at the top of their game putting their own take on some of the recordings by Jackie McLean and Lee Morgan. Classics recorded on Blue Note that have stood the test of time and, in doing so, provided material for tonight's stars to build upon and make their own.

Cohen's playing is, to put it mildly, absolutely sensational. Jackie McLean is alive and well in her hands - You looking for a jazz alto sax player? look no further!

Kavuma has a couple of albums to his name that have been reviewed on BSH so I already knew how good he was - or so I thought! He seemed to struggle a bit on the opening number but, once his lip was in he was flying. When you have someone like Rachael Cohen sharing the front line with you, you either put up or shut up - he didn't shut up. Kavuma and Cohen are as well matched as Bird and Diz were, or to be more exact, Morgan and McLean.

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)
Gordon too was on form, he seems to get better and better every time I hear him. He had some cracking solos tonight. Casimar was relatively subdued but, when given his freedom, he took it, reminding me of the time I heard him at The Globe with Clark Tracey a few years back.

Likewise, it wasn't until the final number that Forbes kicked seven shades out of the pots and pans although his presence was ever evident dropping an occasional bomb when a minor explosion was called for.

I didn't catch all the titles but the set did include: Leeway; These Are Soulful Days; Twilight Mist and Ceora.

Nice one. 

Lance

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