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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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

Thursday, December 23, 2021

Review: Wardell Gray - Four Classic Albums Plus

Wardell Gray died at the age of 34. To this day there is speculation as to how, exactly, he met his end. What we have here is the legacy of an undoubtedly great tenor saxophonist. From Pasadena in 1947 (Way Out Wardell) to Los Angeles 1950 and 1953 (Memorial Album Volume 1) we hear the ill-fated Gray working with some of the great names of the period.

The '47 Pasadena session included fellow tenor man Vido Musso, Benny Carter on alto sax and the trumpeters Howard McGhee and Ernie Royal. Some five years on Frank Morgan was playing alto sax, Al Haig, Phil Hill and Sonny Clark shared piano duties, Tommy Potter was on bass, and the sole surviving participant from these recordings, Roy Haynes (now 96) occupying the drum chair. 

In his sleeve notes to The Chase and The Steeplechase, Gene Norman wrote: One of the most exciting situations in jazz is an all-out 'to-the-death' duel between two tenor saxophones...This pertinent comment referred to Gray and fellow tenor man Dexter Gordon. The pair slug it out, Gordon throwing the bigger bombs, Gray taking the hit, then coming inside to do similar damage to his adversary. Just the two numbers on the album - The Chase (11 mins 32 secs) and The Steeplechase (weighing-in at 13 mins 51 secs) - with Conte Candoli on trumpet, Bobby Tucker, piano, Don Bagley, bass, with Chico Hamilton driving it along on the ride cymbal, despite the less-than-perfect audio quality, this February 2nd 1952 album is essential listening.

More than two and a half hours later this two-CD, four album package goes out all guns blazing on Denzil Best's More (Gray, Gordon, Sonny Criss toting his alto sax, Hampton Hawes or Jimmy Bunn on piano). If not for Christmas, Four Classic Albums Plus makes the ideal birthday present.   Russell  

Four Classic Albums Plus (AMSC1403) is available from Avid Jazz: www.avidgroup.co.uk.  

The Chase & The Steeplechase: Wardell Gray (tenor sax); Dexter Gordon (tenor sax); Conte Candoli (trumpet); Bobby Tucker (piano); Don Bagley (bass); Chico Hamilton (drums)

Way Out Wardell: Wardell Gray (tenor sax); Vido Musso (tenor sax); Benny Carter (alto sax); Howard McGhee (trumpet); Ernie Royal 9trumpet); Vic Dickenson (trombone); Erroll Garner (piano); Arnold Ross (piano); Barney Kessel (guitar); Irving Ashby (guitar); Red Callender (bass); Harry Babison (bass); Jackie Mills (drums); Don Lamond (drums)

Memorial Album Volume 1: Wardell Gray (tenor sax); Frank Morgan (alto sax); Al Haig (piano); Phil Hill (piano); Sonny Clark (piano); Teddy Charles (vibes); Dick Nivison (bass); Johnny Richardson (bass); Tommy Potter (bass); Art Mardigan (drums); Larry Marable (drums); Roy Haynes (drums)

Memorial Album Volume 2: Wardell Gray (tenor sax); Dexter Gordon (tenor sax); Sonny Criss (alto sax); Art Framer (trumpet); Clark Terry (trumpet); Hampton Hawes (piano); Jimmy Bunn (piano); Billy Hadnott (bass); Harper Cosby (bass); Robert Collier (congas); Chuck Thompson (drums); Larry Marable (drums)    

1 comment :

Lance said...

OMG a CD from Avid featuring Wardell Gray! A delightful tip of the iceberg to a man who was my all time favourite tenor player. Maybe they'll get around to documenting Wardell's work with Goodman, Basie, Parker, Hines. Wardell was the man! Dexter was Joe Frazier, Wardell was Ali.

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