Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

October.

Tue 06: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Paul Grainger (double bass).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Murray Oak, Paul Grainger, John Bradford.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. First night of two.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Album review (sort of): Journeys in Modern Jazz:Britain

The online publicity for this delightful example of British modern jazz promised a 20,000 word insert to accompany this double CD/LP (you pays your money and you takes your choice). A tome packed with biographical and discographical detail that this reviewer would have found invaluable - would being the operative word...

Alas, my promo double CD only turned up with just that - two CDs. No info on personnel or recording dates. Not even the usual promotional blurb. So, as there are 14 bands spread over the 2 discs, I'll content myself with listing their names and the tracks which, I guess are ± from the 1970s. By and large they all have that post-bop/pre-fusion feel about them and were originally released on Decca or one of its subsidiary labels.

Disc 1.

1: Ken Wheeler w. John Dankworth Orch. - Don the Dreamer.

2: Don Rendell Quintet - A Matter of Time.

3: Colin Bates Trio - Brew.

4: John Surman, John Warren - With Terry's Help.

5. Michael Garrick Sextet - Second Coming.

6. Mike Westbrook Concert Band - Waltz (for Joanna).

7. Stan Tracey and his Big Band - Matinee Days.

8. Harry Beckett - Third Road.

Disc 2.

1. Neil Ardley, Ian Carr, Don Rendell - Greek Variations Vl: Kriti [edit].

2. The New Jazz Orchestra - Angle.

3. Alan Skidmore Quintet - Old San Juan.

4. Dick Morrissey Quartet - Storm Warning.

5. Mike Taylor Quartet - To Segovia.

6. Michael Gibbs - Some Echoes, Some Shadows.

As some of our older, more perceptive, readers will have gathered most, if not all, of the tracks are from what were, at the time, very well-known albums and graced many a jazzer's coffee table. Typical examples are the Wheeler/Dankworth track which is from Windmill Tilter - The Story of Don Quixote whilst the Stan Tracey track, which, incidentally, is my absolute pick of a very good bunch, is from his Seven Ages of Man suite. Lance

Available July 16.

1 comment :

Simon Spillett (on F/b) said...

I've had the same thing reviewing certain albums, Lance. Sometimes record labels overlook the crucial importance of contextual information in reissue projects.

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