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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 2025).

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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. CANCELLED! 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Saturday, November 27, 2021

Album Review: Sara Colman – Ink On A Pin – A Celebration Of Joni Mitchell

Sara Colman (vocals); Rebecca Nash (piano); Steve Banks (guitars); Ben Markland (bass); Jonathan Silk (drums); Percy Pursglove (flugelhorn); Beth Bellis (violin 1, vocals); Ning-Ning Li (violin 2, vocals); Natalie Mason (viola, vocals); Katy Nagle (cello, vocals)

This CD is so delightful that I played it twice straight off! Joni Mitchell songs lend themselves easily to jazz but Ms Colman's versions are very much her own, with added influences of folk and Americana. The voice is a strong alto with a pleasing nasal quality, very unlike Mitchell's rather sweeter tones, which helps towards the different interpretations.

All the tracks stood out but I must mention Amelia, concerning Amelia Earhart the pioneering aviator who disappeared over the Pacific in 1937. The string quartet and also the flugelhorn play superbly to give 'flying' effects. On the classic song Woodstock the piano somehow manages to create a 'hippy' feel, then plays along with massed cymbals, and the track is beautifully rounded off with a vocal chorus from the singers, who sound as if they are indeed at Woodstock.

My Old Man is a tribute to a partner sung to piano accompaniment, with the classic line 'We don't need no piece of paper from the City Hall’. Chelsea Morning gives us a lively, perky flugelhorn solo; This Flight Tonight has skilled flowing guitar accompaniment. Court and Spark is played with the standard piano, bass and drums and Down to You is sung to flowing strings and comments from the flugelhorn. The singing on all the tracks gets the meaning of the lyrics across well. And so I've actually mentioned all the tracks in my enthusiasm.

Ms Colman hails from Bristol and this is her second CD.  She is a singer, songwriter and composer. The album was recorded as part of her work as a recording-artist-in residence at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in 2019. She has worked with many other artists such as Liane Carroll, and has performed at the BBC Proms.

The album was released yesterday, November 26, and is available digitally and everywhere. See www.saracolman.com

Court and Spark; Chelsea Morning; Amelia; This Flight Tonight; Down to You; Woodstock; My Old Man - Ann Alex

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