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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: King Bees @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb blues band.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

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

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Album review: Ben Markley Big Band with Ari Hoenig - Ari's Fun-House

Gigging in and around Denver, Colorado, composer, arranger, pianist, band leader, side man and tutor, Ben Markley is a busy man. One of his projects has recently come to fruition. Following a first gig working alongside Ari Hoenig, Markley asked the New York-based drummer if he could arrange some of his compositions for big band. Hoenig liked the idea and, post lockdown, the finished article is Markley's new album Ari's Fun-House.

A little over sixty five minutes' worth of music recorded in July 2021 presents Hoenig's challenging compositions in a big band setting performed by a superb ensemble. Seven charts, of which the majority are searing workouts, spotlight Hoenig the musician and Hoenig the highly accomplished composer. Hoenig the drummer is all about rhythmic brilliance allied to strong harmonic and melodic sensibilities. The album's liner notes identify the soloists track by track, of which the first, Birdless, features Wil Swindler's incisive alto saxophone playing. In sharp contrast, Lyric takes it down, John Gunther's measured tenor sax contribution heard against impressive ensemble work, topped off by Hoenig's razor-sharp breaking beats.

A Celtic feel to parts of Arrows and Loops comes as a surprise, Markley at the piano, the sections deftly negotiating all ten minutes and twenty one seconds of a thrilling  roller coaster of a ride. Hoenig and band rock out on the album closer, Green Spleen, a feature for guitarist Steve Kovalcheck, the ensemble sound one of urgency. It's safe to assume Markley's band is hand-picked, charged with doing justice to Hoenig's charts. On first, second and third hearing, Ari's Fun-House is testament to Hoenig's compositional abilities, Markley's sparkling arrangements and the Ben Markley Big Band's collective brilliance.
Russell 
                                 
Aris' Fun-House by the Ben Markley Big Band with Ari Hoenig is available now on 0A2 Records (cat. no. 0A2 22200).  
  
Ben Markey Big Band with Ari Hoenig: Peter Olstad, Greg Gisbert, Dan Jonas, Alan Hood (trumpets); Adam Bartczak, Paul McKee, Rob Borger, Jon Gauer (trombones); Wil Swindler (alto sax, soprano sax, flute); Scott Turpen (alto sax); Peter Sommer (tenor sax); John Gunther (tenor sax); Sam Williams (baritone sax); Steve Kovalcheck (guitar); Ben Marley (piano, keyboards); Evan Gregor (double bass, bass guitar); Ari Hoenig (drums)   

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