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.

Mon 05: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

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.

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Ella Hohnen-Ford live streaming from home - June 13

Ella Hohnen-Ford (vocals); Helena Kay (tenor sax); Matt Robinson (piano); Will Sach (double bass)

North London on a sweltering Sunday evening. Ella Hohnen-Ford singing a set of love songs and more in the company of tenor saxophonist Helena Kay, pianist Matt Robinson and mainstay bassist Will Sach. Moonglow to begin. Is there a more composed performer than Ms Hohnen-Ford? Such assurance, singing, all the while interacting with her online audience, Ella playfully toying with a lyric a joy to hear. 

Helena Kay's tenor playing accompanied Ella's exploration of Bob Haggard's What's New? (lyrics Johnny Burke). Ms Kay possesses an old school cool sound, warm of tone, without question she's checked out the masters - Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins and, likely as not, Dexter Gordon.

HK conjured the solo of the night on Easy Living, as easy as you like, Will Sach showing his appreciation with one word - Yeah.   

As Ella introduced Matt Robinson's piano feature, one online listener suggested: This [Ella's] voice needs to be heard in New York. Ella, cool as you like replied: Well, fingers crossed. Oh, yes, the tune, from West Side Story, Somewhere with Ella's fabulous vocals. The quartet signed off with Jerome Kern's The Song is You. It had been a superb ninety minutes of music. More next Sunday (June 20) at 7:30 when Ella's guests will be Giacomo Smith, Will Arnold-Forster and the ever-present Will Sach. Russell

Set list: Moonglow; (You'd be so) Easy to Love; My Romance; I'm Beginning to See the Light; No More Blues; What's New?; Sweet and Gentle; Easy Living; I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart; Somewhere; The Song is You.   

1 comment :

Ella Hohnen-Ford (on F/b) said...

Wow thanks so much!!! Cool!

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