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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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, June 15, 2022

Album review: Ron Magril - Until Now

Ron Magril (guitar) Avshalom Meidan (piano), Oren Hardy (double bass), Ofri Nehemya (drums)

The second of two new albums from emerging Israeli artists on Ubuntu following the excellent Walk of the Ducks from sax player Asaf Harris. This time it’s a young guitarist, Ron Magril,  with another band of top Israeli players, notably the spectacular Ofri Nehemya on drums, familiar to fans of Avishai Cohen (bass) and Ben Wendel. Magril is currently studying at the New School in NYC, so this is early days.  

Looking at the line up, especially with Nehemya on board, I perhaps hoped to find some commonality with leading Israeli guitarist Gilad Hekselman. Not so - the genre here is very much a contemporary take on hard bop, conventional jazz guitar rather than any progressive and radical collaborations outside the mainstream.

While the viewpoint here is rather retrospective, there is much to be enjoyed and admired in the sophisticated and precise playing. Nehemya does a great job of injecting pzazz and energy, albeit in a measured version of his usual asymmetric swirling stream.

The opening  It’s the Cops  is  urgent but tuneful, with walking bass and  swinging kit. For You slowly smoulders, showcasing Meidan’s lounge piano. Pete picks up the pace joyfully, with a bass solo interlude, and a bass intro to the next piece I’m Starting to Smile Again before a jaunty guitar melody takes off. Meaningful Moments is spacious and unhurried, reflecting the title – though even Nehemya’s artistry on brushes can’t save me from a verdict of cheese deluxe here. The remaining numbers are lovingly played but unremarkable to my ear – I’m sure others more attuned to the pre-70s guitar era would find much to enjoy. The album does close with a stand out tune -  Africa, a tribute to McCoy Tyner. Fittingly, it features rollocking bass lines, jagged piano chords, harder hitting guitar and Nehemya, finally let off the tight leash.

With my expectations of new Israeli bands raised by Asaf Harris’ recent effort on the same label I have to confess to some disappointment with the conventional outlook here.  The dominant voice here is from the US tradition and I’m left asking why these guys have left behind the rich influences from their own culture so evident in other Israeli jazz. Chris K

Release Date:
May 27,  CD & Digital Formats Ubuntu UBU0106

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