Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18504 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 368 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 7 ) 22

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

May

Sat 09: The Vieux Carré Hot 4 'Festival of Blossom' @ Seaton Delaval Hall National Trust. 12:30 - 3.00pm. Free event (admission applies).
Sat 09: Alexia Gardner Trio @ FIKA Gallery, Morpeth. 7:00-9:00pm. £30.00.
Sat 09: SH#RP Collective w. Lindsay Hannon @ Church of Holy Name, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00 (inc. a welcome drink). Advance booking essential. Bring own snacks, drinks to be purchased at ‘donations’ bar. All proceeds to charity. A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sat 09: East Coast Swing Band @ Jubilee Hall, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £10.00.

Sun 10: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 12 noon. Free. Note earlier start.
Sun 10: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 10: The Chet Set @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.
Sun 10: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.

Mon 11: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 12: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Hey Remember This @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 14: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Philip Larkin’s Jazz Experiment.
Thu 14: Jerron Paxton @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb country blues.
Thu 14: Jacob Egglestone @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Egglestone (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass); Jack Littlewood (drums) & guests.

Fri 15: Conor Emery Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Line-up Emery (trombone); Alix Shepherd (piano); John Pope (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 adv., £15.00 on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Puppini Sisters @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!

Monday, November 01, 2021

Sunday Night @ the Globe: ARQ - The Alison Rayner Quintet - Oct. 31

(Photo by Russell)

Diane McLoughlin (tenor/soprano saxes); Steve Lodder (piano); Deirdre Cartwright (guitar); Alison Rayner (bass/bass guitar); Buster Birch (drums).

The room was full. I can't remember seeing so many in the downstairs bar. The JNE faithful were there, along with the Globe regulars and those of us who simply go where the music takes them.

This co-promotion between Jazz North East and the Jazz Co-op was one of the best jazz gigs at the Co-op's HQ since, well, er, since ARQ played the upper room back in 2018.

(© Ken Drew)
Although leader/bassist Rayner composed most of the pieces, Lodder, McLoughlin and Cartwright also chipped in with compositions of their own. Someone described it as retro-funk whatever that is. Well, from now on, I'm a retro-funk fan.

Each and everyone soloed as if Armageddon were on the horizon and maybe it is. Ranging from reflective pastoral themes to kick the door down and put the boot in explosions the dynamics in both solos and ensembles were a masterclass in the art of contrast.

The numbers were, in the main, taken from the band's third album - Short Stories - and included A Crack is Everything; Buster Breaks a Beat; A Braw Boy; The Trunk Call; Life Lived Wide; Seeing Around Corners.

Queer Bird was slightly different inasmuch as it was an unconventional take on more conventional jazz with a particular leaning towards Monk and other bebop icons. Loved it!

To finish, Rayner switched to electric bass (she'd alternated between her two instruments throughout the session) for A Portrait of Jaco. 

The band, like the audience, finished on a high - Lance

at

1 comment :

Graham said...

Lance is spot on.One of the best gigs I have attended at the wonderfully refurbished Globe. In addition to the packed audience we were told that many were live live-streaming the event. ARQ were on fire and having the time of their lives - as were those lucky enough to be there.

Monday, November 01, 2021 4:44:00 pm

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive