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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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

APRIL 2025

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. POSSIBLE CANCELLATION. See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

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.

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

Saturday, January 28, 2023

Album review: The Fresh Sound Ensemble – Common Threads

Sam Braysher (alto sax); Ronan Perrett (alto sax, clarinet); Alex Merritt, Adele Sauros (tenor sax); Alex Hitchcock (tenor sax, soprano sax); Michael Chillingworth (tenor sax, bass clarinet); Steve Fishwick (trumpet); Tom Ollendorff (guitar); John Turville (piano); Conor Chaplin (bass); Jay Davis (drums).

The Fresh Sounds New Talent label has been going for 30 years now and, in celebration, label head honcho Jordi Pujol decided to record a commemorative album using, mainly, London based musicians, many of whom are familiar to north east audiences from leading or taking part in various bands over the years.

Two dates, in August and October 2022 were organised and this varied 68 minutes is the result.

Day one, with a nonet saw 11 tracks recorded (including an alternate take of El Murcielago) whilst the octet that regrouped in October recorded the remaining three. The music covers a fairly wide modern jazz spectrum. There’s nothing here that feels especially cutting edge or challenging but what it is is very good modern jazz, with good arrangements and players at the top of their game all given the freedom to contribute their best and it’s well produced so that they all have the space to shine. That shouldn’t be taken as faint praise because, amongst its other charms is that this album is a definite grower. I’ve listened to it several times and there’s more to enjoy and appreciate each time so it rewards return visits and I shall be keeping it handy.

I always think that arrangements are crucial when there’s a big small band or a small big band involved. Too often the temptation is to have ‘trio and succession of soloists’ arrangements where half the musicians sit out for much of each tune. This happens on occasion across this album but for much of it the arrangements work the whole band or use an array of instruments in the back ground to support the soloist, to add different tones and colour to the tunes. Track 3, Alex Merritt’s JT and the Planets does this to great effect.

The album opens with  a clarion call of intertwined saxes over a punchy bass line as the track, Erased, builds up to an equally punchy tenor front line behind composer Adele Sauros’ full voiced solo.

Now, if you do want something that sounds like it is part of a blowing session, the non-alternate take of El Murcielago is your man. This is just a romp with Steve Fishwick, who composed the tune, blowing up the proverbial storm. It is a tight, small group arrangement and Fishwick decorates it with flying daggers, (metaphorically). 

After the strangled yelps of Do You Like Apples (better than that description makes it sound) comes another tune by Adele Sauros. Simplicity is a delicate piece that frames Sauros’ solo. Ollendorff provides a lovely Metheny-esque run on the guitar over rolling bass and drums. It’s one you have to lean into and hang on to every note to fully appreciate.

Alex Merritt’s Anita Life (in tribute to Maria Kondo?) is another pile on which shows why Jazz groups can produce an album in a day whilst Pink Floyd take 3 years. Another gentle opening with Merritt's tenor then Ollendorff’s guitar to the fore which suddenly acquires more gravitas with a bomb from Davis on the drums. His rolling mallets(?) support a fuller arrangement from the band. Ollendorff leads but his solo is gradually overwhelmed by a wall of horns. Chillingworth and Fishwick take us out with entwined solos on sax and trumpet whilst Davis lets loose in the background. This is what these sessions should be for.

Asimuth is a Tom Ollendorff composition but his guitar is subdued for much of it behind Michael Chillingworth’s bass clarinet. I always think that the bass clarinet is a bit of a Marmite sound that I tend to avoid where I can. Courtney Pine and Alan Barnes, who both know more about these things than I do, would probably disagree. I could definitely have done with more of Ollendorff’s brief closing solo.

Alex Hitchcock’s Bin Raccoon provides the opportunity for a solo from John Turville over a driving bass from Conor Chaplin whilst the band provide colour in the background. This tune really motors and the arrangement moves the reeds and horn from front to back and back again. It’s probably the best arrangement on the album and shows the strengths of a group of this size.

Points, too, for the album cover design as long as I’m right in thinking that it’s a medical photograph of brainwaves with synapses firing at points of intersection. It’s a good representation of the interplay between the musicians on this album.

More Information about the album, the thinking behind it and the Fresh Sounds New Talent Label’s history can be found HERE. Common Threads is out and  available now from all the usual suspects. The website in the link takes you to the album and there are links on there to other works by the artists brought together for this project. Dave Sayer

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