Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

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: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thursday, January 13, 2022

Album review: Alex Merritt/Steve Fishwick Quintet - Mind-Ear-Ladder

Alex Merritt (tenor sax); Steve Fishwick (trumpet); John Turville (piano); Mick Coady (bass); Matt Fishwick (drums).

A lovely example of contemporary British modern jazz by five of the UK's best. It may not be pushing any boundaries over the brink but there are moments on the album when they come close - very close!

However, forward thinking as it is, the music lies somewhere north of yesterday and marginally south of tomorrow.

Steve Fishwick has long been one of my favourite British trumpet players bringing to mind what Lee Morgan may have sounded like today had the gun on that fateful night not been loaded. 

Merritt gets a good sound and is yet another great tenor player who has enhanced the scene over the past few years. Turville, Coady and Matt Fishwick provide the support with Turville reminding me of how sensitive a player he can be. Turville composed the opening number the quirkily titled U.H.D.C. (the Upper Holloway Dental Clinic). It doesn't have the same charisma, title-wise, as Duke's Upper Manhattan Medical Group but it is still a worthy addition to jazz's medical associations away from Synanon. It could be said that the operation was a great success and the patient didn't die! In case you are wondering, like I was, what the title is all about - read below - then explain it to me - Lance

1 comment :

Lance said...

They take the album on tour but not, alas, to Newcastle.
For dates see: https://stevefishwickjazz.com/calendar

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