Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! .
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

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

Monday, June 27, 2022

Album review (Various artists); Heart of Mine - The Songs of Ross Lorraine

(Press release)

Heart Of Mine is the new album from the unique and versatile composer and pianist Ross Lorraine. Heart Of Mine is produced by jazz figurehead Claire Martin and features the vocal talents of Liane Carroll, Gwyneth Herbert, Ian Shaw, Luca Manning, Sara Colman and Claire Martin herself: a cast of guest singers who represent the very best vocal jazz talent in the UK and internationally.

Each protagonist lends their own incomparable style to the project, creating a captivating showcase and a diverse and entertaining realisation of Lorraine’s original compositions. Moreover, the dexterous and imaginative talents of Rob Barron on piano, Mike Walker on guitar, Laurence Cottle on bass and Elliott Henshaw on drums further fortifies the project, making the sum of all parts a tour de force of musical brilliance.

Having mastered his craft under the supervision of the internationally revered composer Sir Harrison Birtwistle (working as both his assistant and later as his editor at Universal Edition), Ross Lorraine has become a widely respected composer, arranger and pianist in his own right, lending his unique expertise to a vast spectrum of projects across the music industry. These range from a series of  compositions that were broadcast on BBC Radio 3, to virtuoso solo pieces written for some of the UK’s top performers of contemporary music, that have been presented at events and festivals throughout the world.

 

As a keyboard player, Ross Lorraine has performed at The London Jazz Festival, the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, and at London venues such as Pizza Express Soho, The Pheasantry, The Bulls Head and The Green Note to name just a few notable venues. In addition to his extensive work in jazz, Ross Lorraine has composed Tangos that have been broadcast by the BBC World Service and soundtracks to accompany the work of leading playwrights, and he has promoted concerts focusing on important contemporary composers.

 

Ross Lorraine adopts a thoroughly non-restrictive approach to his work, actively encouraging a collaborative approach with those who perform his music. He has already recorded singles with such well-known singers as Sarah Moule and Emilia Martensson. Now with Heart Of Mine, Lorraine will showcase his inimitable talent in what is both his most ambitious and accomplished work to date.

 

Quotes:

 

Ross's songs are so organically structured for the voices he writes for. Claire's seamless production makes it a total joy to sing and get involved. Wonderful to be part of this fabulous project
Liane Carroll

 

It has been an absolute joy to work with Ross Lorraine and all the incredible singers on this project.  Each of Ross's songs has a distinct personality, and these brilliant vocalists really do them justice and make them their own.  Soup to Nuts Productions was recently set up by myself and Chris Traves, and this project has really been a dream come true for us, as it combines the very best UK musicians alongside these unique and original songs. A joy from beginning to end!
Claire Martin OBE

 

Ross reached out to me with a song that he thought I might like to sing…‘We Will Sing Again’ struck a chord with me almost instantly. It beautifully captures the solitude we were all experiencing, the yearning to be together again. I was inspired by the folky melancholy in Ross’s great storytelling ability, and was very happy to record it as part of this project. – Luca Manning

 

Sweetly meandering melodies, timeless lyrics tinged with nostalgia... Ross Lorraine's songs are a joy to sing! – Gwyneth Herbert

 

Such a thrill to sing such well-crafted songs. Whether the generic pop-structure format or a denser, more character-driven narrative, Ross Lorraine’s writing is a joy. – Ian Shaw

 

Ross has such a distinctive voice as a narrator, he writes with a perfect balance of the personal and the universal. Sara Colman

 

Track Listing: 

The Waiting Game (Liane Carroll)
They’re Playing Our Song (Gwyneth Herbert)
Like Love (Luca Manning)
Body Language (Claire Martin)
Pull You Back (Sara Colman)
Heart Of Mine  (Liane Carroll)
The Name of the Game (Claire Martin)
I’m By Your Side (Ian Shaw & Claire Martin)
We Will Sing Again (Luca Manning)
A Silent Cry (Ian Shaw)
All Our Days (Sara Colman)
Play On (Gwyneth Herbert)    

Claire Martin, Gwyneth Herbert, Sara Colman (backing vocals); Rob Barron (piano/Rhodes piano); Mike Walker (guitars); Laurence Cottle (electric bass); Elliott Henshaw (drums).


Available CD/Bandcamp.

 

Recorded At Kenilworth Production Studios

 

Engineered, Mixed and Mastered By Chris Traves for Soup To Nuts Productions

 

All Music and Lyrics By Ross Lorraine

 

Co-produced By Claire Martin OBE, Ross Lorraine and Chris Traves              

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