Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 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

19,086 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 950 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Nov. 7) 20.

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

November

Sun 08: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 3/3.
Sun 08: ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 08: Kaberry Big Band @ Forest Hall Social Club. 3:00pm. £7.00 (inc. tea & cake). Charity event for the Poppy Appeal.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Bechet-Spanier Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.; £5.00. Muggsy Spanier was born 125 years ago today (9 November 1901). This afternoon’s all-star quartet - from London, Lewis Taylor (cornet) & Michael McQuaid (reeds), from Paris, Félix Hunot (guitar), from London, Harry Evans (string bass) - salutes Muggsy!
Mon 09: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 09: Bechet-Spanier Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00. Muggsy Spanier was born 125 years ago today (9 November 1901). This evening’s all-star quartet - from London, Lewis Taylor (cornet), from London, Michael McQuaid (reeds), from Paris, Félix Hunot (guitar), from London, Harry Evans (string bass) - salutes Muggsy!

Tue 10: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Becky Tuck (vocals).
Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 11: Plague Doctors Cure All + Noonward @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm. JNE.

Thu 12: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 12: JANE @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 12: MoonMot + Jack Banjo’s Snackwall @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 12: Ratio: Swingin’ Through the Decades @ The Forum, Darlington. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £10.00. A charity fundraiser.
Thu 12: Look Left @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Thu 12: Michael Woods @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Acoustic blues.

Fri 13: Giles Strong Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Giles Strong (guitar); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 13: Lapwing Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Richard Herdman, Nick Bagnell, Paula Whitty.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Hexham Lantern Parade, Bandstand, Sele, Hexham. 6:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Sharp Collective @ Dry Water Arts, Amble. 7:00pm.
Fri 13: East Coast Swing Band @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:30pm.
Fri 13: Guisborough Big Band @ Saltburn Golf Club. 7:30pm. Tickets: £15.00 (inc. pie & peas

Sat 14: Lianne Carroll: Jazz Vocal Weekend Workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 9:30am-5:00pm. £95.00. Day 1/2. SOLD OUT!
Sat 14: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 14: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf); £11.00 concs (inc. bf).
Sat 14: Red Kites Jazz @ Staiths Café, Gateshead. 7:00pm.
Sat 14: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Tweed Gallery, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Album review: Strictly Smokin' Big Band - Sings Ella with Alice Grace

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band's new album (the second in a planned series of three) was recorded in rural Northumberland in July 2021. This Jazz Sounds Records' recording features vocalist Alice Grace, the band and a no-expense-spared string section. Ten tracks, thirty six minutes, the recording quality second to none (take a bow Liam Gaughan), the SSBB at the top of its game, is this the big band album of the year? Ella is, without question, a serious contender. 

And then there is Alice Grace. For those of us who have heard her sing, we've long-since known Ms Grace is one the great British jazz singers, up there with the very best of them. Ella is set to win our adopted Geordie a whole bucket load of new fans. From Cole Porter's Why Can't You Behave? (arr. Buddy Bregman) to Michael Lamb's arrangement of George Gershwin's There's a Boat That's Leaving Soon for New York, band and vocalist aim for the stars. One day they must tell us what it was like up there! 

The SSBB's sections and soloists are heard on top form (including guest tenor saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos) and the twelve-strong string section (Bradley Creswick, leader), plus oboe and French horn, are presented as an integral part of the album, not in any way a 'with strings' afterthought. Alice Grace highlights? Everything on the album. If pushed, That Old Black Magic and I Said No.    

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band's Sings Ella with Alice Grace  is on Jazz Sound Records (cat. no. JSR012). The album is available from: www.strictly-smokin.co.uk. Consider it an essential purchase. And if you're a promoter - jazz club or festival - don't think twice, book the Strictly Smokin' Big Band...with Alice Grace, of course. Russell 

Strictly Smokin' Big Band: Alice Grace (vocals); Steve Summers (alto 1, flute), Keith Robinson (alto 2, clarinet, flute), Jamie Toms (tenor 1, clarinet, bass clarinet), Dave Kerridge (tenor sax 2, clarinet), Laurie Rangecroft (baritone sax, flute), Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax solo track 9); Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey, Pete Tanton, Michael Lamb tracks 2, 4, 6, 7, Stuart McLean-Fowler tracks 1, 3, 5, 8-10 (trumpets); Kieran Parnaby, Mark Ferris, Chris Kurji-Smith, John Flood (trombones); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Graham Don (piano); Michael Whent (bass); Guy Swinton (drums)

The Orchestra: Michael Lamb (conductor); Bradley Creswick (leader), Joanne Atherton, Rebecca Howell, Ed Cross, Jayne Cuggy, Zoë Hodgson, Markus Lawrenson (violins), Chrissie Slater, Claudia Newbegin (violas); Ele Leckie, Mark Carroll (celli); Philip Cull (oboe); Chris Senior (French horn); Sarah Paterson (harp)

Why Can't You Behave?; Lullaby of Broadway; I've Got Beginner's Luck; That Old Black Magic; Love Me or Leave Me; All the Things You Are; I Said No; A Flower is a Lovesome Thing; I Fall in Love Too Easily; There's a Boat That's Leaving Soon for New York. 

at

1 comment :

Minnie Fraser said...

I have had this album for a week and have nearly worn it out!
It is truly wonderful! I don’t think I have ever had so much joy from a new album!
The band, the orchestra and oh that beautiful voice!!!!
Pure heaven!

Wednesday, May 04, 2022 7:59:00 pm

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive