Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 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

18656 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 520 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 25) 72

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

June

Mon 29: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 30: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

July

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 02: De’Sean Jones & Blaque Dynamite feat. Urban Art Orchestra @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). De’Sean Jones (MD, tenor sax); Blaque Dynamite (Mike Mitchell, drums); Jamie Murray (drums) with UAO horns & strings.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.
Thu 02: Howlin’ Mat @ Newcastle Arts centre. 7:30pm. Free. Acoustic

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Paul Donnelly Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Martin Taylor @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Taylor (solo guitar).

Sat 04: Spats Langham’s Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:00-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Take the ‘A’ Train to Summertime: From Melody to Masterclass. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest TBC.
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Friday, June 04, 2021

Album review: Vinnie Riccitelli - For the Record

You haven't heard of Vinnie Riccitelli? You're not alone, neither had I until this album arrived even though he's now 94 and been playing professionally since he was 15. The blurb refers to him as being one of the best kept secrets in jazz - the last album recorded under his name was released in 1956!

Not that he's been discovered working in a rice field, far from it. He only stopped playing alto professionally in 2018 after a career that had lasted 77 years! Since retiring, he's revisited the past and assembled this outstanding octet to record some of his classic arrangements.

And what arrangements! Imagine some of those West Coast sounds from the 1950s played with warmth and you're getting close but not quite close enough. It's impeccable - it's in the Art Pepper + Eleven league which means Champions League in jazz terms.

For some unknown reason, I've allowed this to fester in my in-tray for the past 3 months for which I'm duly apologetic. Not just to the musicians but to myself for depriving myself of so much pleasurable listening for so long. I'll make up for it by playing it forever and ever or until something better comes along which I think might be more than a little while ...

Lance

Available via usual suspects.

Minor Seventh Heaven*; I'm Old Fashioned; If You Could See me Now; Serenata; Stompin' at the Savoy; Star Eyes; Mr. Lucky; Blues Dominant*; Maids of Cadiz; Along Came Betty; Darn That Dream; Dolphin Dance; Flugelsville*; Flying Down to Rio; Jordu; 'Round Midnight; Little Boy Blew*.      

* Originals by Vinnie Riccitelli.

Vinnie Riccitelli (arranger); Leo Ursini (alto sax - 11 tks); Nathan Childers (alto sax - 6 tks); Joe Stelluti (tenor sax); Chris Stelluti (baritone sax); Glenn Drewes (trumpet/flugel); Bruce Bonvissuto (trombone); Eddie Monteiro (piano/accordion - 1 tk); Lou Stelluti (bass); Tony Tedesco (drums).

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1 comment :

Tony Tedesco said...

I just wanted to write to say thank you for your great review of Vinnie’s CD. I happened to come across it today and was so appreciative of your kind words. He is really a terrific arranger who has gone under the radar here in NYC only because he was too busy as a sideman for everyone! It’s funny...I was just listening to that Art Pepper +11 record two days ago and still marveling at the musicianship exemplified during those Marty Paich sessions. To even be compared to such an iconic album is truly the highest of compliments. I feel very fortunate that Vinnie asked me to play drums on this CD, and feel even more of a thrill that his talent as an arranger is getting the recognition that he truly deserves. Thank you for spreading the word!
My regards,
Tony Tedesco

Saturday, June 05, 2021 10:16:00 pm

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