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

18621 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 485 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 14) 37

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

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 18: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: 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 19: Joe Steels Group @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 19: Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £14.33., £11.16., £8.00.
Fri 19: Martin Litton @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 (inc. bf); £6.50 (inc. bf); £15.00 on the door. Solo piano. CANCELLED!
Fri 19: Jools Holland’s R&B Orchestra @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Joe Webb support set.
Fri 19: Hot Club du Nord @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 19: Jive Aces: The Roots of Rock & Roll @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00 + bf.

Sat 20: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tynedale Beer Festival, Corbridge. 5:00-6:00pm.
Sat 20: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 20: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Trinity Church, Gosforth, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. NCRO w. guests Dean Stockdale & Nick Ward.

Sun 21: From Lagos to Longbenton: Unity in the Community @ Sunderland Minster. From 1:30pm. Free. A multi-bill Unity in the Community event, inc. From Lagos to Longbenton.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio w. Graham Hardy.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 22: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free.
Tue 23: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

CD Review: Kristin Callahan – Lost In A Dream

Kristin Callahan (vocals); Eliot Seppa (bass, most arrangements); Matvei Sigalov (guitar); Tom Teasley (perc 2,4,6) Mark Prince (drums 1,3,5); Lee Pearson (drums, conga 4,6); Carroll Dashiell 111 (drums 7); Joe Herrera (trumpet 2,3,4,6); Matt Rippetoe (sax 4)

A singer since childhood, Kristin Callahan went on to study jazz and piano and has performed at festivals and venues such as the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, Rockwood Music Hall and throughout the east coast as well as tribute shows to both Peggy Lee and Julie London.

In this, her third album, Callahan aims to give a more earthy feel and a Latin sound, with acoustic guitar and percussion, and with a repertoire of fewer traditional standards. The CD was on the whole enjoyable, with one reservation. Ms Callahan's voice was good, a pleasing alto with a light nasal tone, but for those who have an interest in lyrics, the words were not all discernible, especially at the end of vocal lines. This was especially a missed opportunity on the title track which was written by the singer herself.

The overall result was that I enjoyed the instrumental segments every bit as much as the singing.  The percussion was especially effective, with conga, cowbell, caxixi, and Cajon, added to skilled hand-drumming, notably on the short instrumental Memories Always Start, Softly As In A Morning Sunrise, and Caravan. The latter track begins with an effective solo bass, then voice to hand drums and bass accompaniment before trumpet and guitar enter with an eastern theme, fading out with voice, trumpet and  hand drums.

The singing style is reflective, very noticeably on Lush Life (what a gem of a song!) and also on 'Round Midnight, where the bell-like guitar seems to chime away the hours. The final track, Jobim's Once I Loved, has the guitar playing comments between the lines of song, arpeggios (I think) my musical theory is dodgy!

Mostly enjoyable, the album is available everywhere from July 16 on Ivy Door Music. See www.kristincallahanmusic.com - Ann Alex

Lush Life; Memories Always Start; 'Round Midnight; Softly As In A Morning Sunrise; Lost In A Dream; Caravan; The Shadow Of Your Smile; Once I Loved.

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