Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. CANCELLED! 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Sunday, July 17, 2022

Album Review: Sidney Jacobs - If I Were Your Woman

Sidney Jacobs (vocals/keys/perc); Gene Coye (drums); Solomon Dorsey (elec/acoustic bass); Josh Johnson (alto sax/flute); Chris Lawrence (trumpet); Josh Nelson (piano/keys); Greg Poree (acoustic guitar); Nolan Shaheed (trumpet/flugelhorn); Joakim Toftgard (trombone); Rickey Woodard (tenor sax); Munyungo Jackson (perc); Ron Feuer (keys)

First I made an appointment with the optician so that I could read the very small print on the purple and blue CD cardboard cover. I jest of course, but like many CD covers nowadays, it caused me eye strain. After listening to the album I decided that it should have been reviewed by Steve T as it is much closer to soul music than jazz, but needs must. Sidney Jacobs has a rich baritone voice and puts the songs across well, but I'm no expert on the soul style which isn't really to my taste.

The more jazz-like elements of the album were in the solos from keyboards, trumpet, trombone and sax on various tracks.

Full marks to Mr Jacobs for trying something new, which was to sing songs usually done by women or songs which are identified with women. I'm not sure that the aim was fulfilled, especially in a song such as I Feel Pretty, but whatever, we get some superb singing, with lots of backing singers as well. The form of the album is inventive too, as songs are interspersed with short instrumental passages, soundscapes such as the opening We All, multi-layered vocals and instruments which invoke memories that Jacobs recalled from
hearing the Islamic call to prayer in Thailand. The themes of this opening music re-appear throughout the album.

So we get six soundscapes which are original plus standards, pop and R&B songs. I'll simply describe the songs by quoting from the information supplied: 'the music has a syncopated poly-rhythmic feel underlying richly constructed harmonies'.

This is Jacobs’ second album. Our singer grew up in a musical household in Los Angeles, sang from being young and began writing music aged 14. He studied classical vocals at university, then worked as a psychologist, before taking up music again from 2018, when he sang with the chart-topping group The 5th Dimension, who are a band which crosses musical boundaries. He also pursues a solo career.

The album is available on all digital platforms. LINK Ann Alex

We All; On a Clear Day; Facts; Weave The Tale; Stay Up; Like a Star; Know; I Feel Pretty; I'm Coming Back; Until You Come Back To Me; Human Typography; Been So Long; Light; A Little Bit; If I Were Your Woman; Conversations With Mom 

No comments :

Blog Archive