Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18721 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 585 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 18) 49

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

July

Sat 25: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. Cheek to Cheek - Ella Fitgerald. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Costa Café (within Next), MetroCentre, Gateshead. 2:00-3:00pm. Free.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Bright Street Big Band @ Sandhaven Amphitheatre, South Shields. 3.30-5.30pm.
Sun 26: Jo Harrop & Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.
Sun 26: King Bees @ Luckies, Jesmond, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Chicago blues.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: Liam & Shayo @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Liam Oliver (guitar), Shayo Oshodi (vocals).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ Music Dept., Durham University. 9:15pm. A Durham Fringe Festival event

Thu 30: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 30: 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 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Milne Glendinning Band @ Repas 7 by Night, Berwick. 8:00-9:00pm. £6.00. A Berwick Fringe Festival event. £6.00 (£6.00 wristband access to all Fringe events).

Sunday, May 02, 2021

Dave Sockett enthuses over Zoë Gilby's Aurora.

Zöe Gilby (voice); Noel Dennis (trumpet/flugel); Mark Williams (bass); Andy Champion (bass); Russ Morgan (drums).

I think you've all managed to create a lovely melodic, rhythmic and intriguing cd; with clever and insightful lyrics helping to explore the songs and potential themes. You manage to really use words and phrases sparingly, but with powerful and multiple meaning and effect. I also thought your use of expressive sound and emotion from your voice was beautifully realised. The themes of creation, love, time, change, adventure, movement, being present and spirituality were all there.

In Leap to the Limelight, with the guitar creating leaping movement, the percussion, atmosphere and the trumpet a broad scan of a space, you sung your lyrics beautifully, to create the movement of spinning, flight and pirouette. 

The All Night Diner, was alive with life, options and opportunity, with trumpet and bass creating the atmosphere so well and the guitar making it flow. The lyrics convey a down to earth, realistic, welcoming  place, with a tasty menu and spicey menu and perhaps a bit more. 

Your Dear Heart creates a lush atmosphere of romance and a loving dream world, with all the instruments supporting this in quite a slow, laid back way. 

The tempo becomes very active in Forget the Past, which is full of adventure for the moment before life passes by. It's life on the pulse and fast playing and drum rolls intensify it. 

A Momentary Place of Peace, full of adventure, but looking for escape; questioning destiny and fate and trying to find an anchor for the heart. Beautiful notes are played on guitar and the medium tempo carries the song well. This is New moves up tempo again, with the band flowing together. A thrilling atmosphere is created with the heart beat thumping with fever and palms becoming sweaty; passion is taking off and the trumpet and the sounds of your voice and emotions give it a vivid intensity.

Ebb and Flow is a slower pace, with cascading ripples and the themes of creation and how emotion will play out in the moment seem evident; enhanced by the words forbidden, secret and beguiling. 

Shadows in Solitude has a haunting contemplative feel to it; with the guitar seeming to play questioning notes and the atmosphere being quite moody. 

Celestial Delight has a feeling of wonder and awe about it, enhancing a spiritual theme. There seems to be praise and celebration here, with a lovely pulsing rhythm, trumpet runs and responsive guitar and bass. Everything seems to be so alive and the voice sounds and emotion emanating from you reinforce it all. I think the CD is very good and a great endorsement to you all. Dave Sockett

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