Seems that they (whoever they are) are rewriting the splendid works of Roald Dahl and Ian Fleming to make them more PC (no, not Paul Chambers) which got me to wondering how these people would deal with the jazz world.
Gordon Goodwin's Ginormous Band?
Pleasingly Plump Hayes?
V.C. [vertically challenged] Rogers?
Kilometres Davis (in Europe)?
Then again, how would they deal with the various Johns, Johnnys and Dicks?
Just thinkin' Lance
I was expecting a quartet tonight as advertised on the February flyer but only three musicians turned up. Not sure what the reason was but at least it meant we got to hear Andrzej taking a major role in the proceedings. Eleven tunes were played tonight, five being originals by Gaz Hughes, the remainder being composed by Monk. Vic Feldman, George Shearing, Johnny Green, Edgar Sampson and Stephen Sondheim.
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| (© Ken Drew) |
Some gigs
make a big impression and lodge in your memory, for a host of reasons: the
music, obviously, but also the band, the audience, the venue, the
vibe. This was one of those gigs!
Presented by Jazz North East, a return to upstairs at the Bridge Hotel as
part of their policy to spread the love around great Newcastle venues. The event was pretty well sold out to
capacity, and the reputation of the band could be measured by the stature of the
many top north-east musicians in the audience rather than on stage for a change.
I was expecting a night of dazzling technique and clever composition, as all four virtuoso players are composers and band leaders and in their own right. I wasn’t disappointed in that regard, but what I wasn’t expecting was to be as shaken up and moved by the emotion and energy of a band in full flight, while also in full empathy with each other.
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| (© Ken Drew) |
A return to the upstairs room at The Bridge on Saturday night was a welcome return to what was once Jazz North East’s primary venue. A great setting with great beer and the added bonus of being able to see the trains pass by in the large bay window. A capacity crowd increased the atmosphere further as this multinational band took to the stage.
On this day in 1961 Oliver Nelson, composer and saxophonist had assembled one of the great groups in jazz history (Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers and Roy Haynes, and George Barrow) to record The Blues And The Abstract Truth. To add to the lustre the session took place at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs New Jersey and was overseen by producer Creed Taylor. It would be released on Impulse.
British bassist/ composer
Graham Collier, (extravagantly pschedelicised on the album cover, in keeping
with the era when this album was recorded) shows on this album that any
comparison with the bassist/composer that was Charles Mingus are not entirely
just hot air. Of course it helps if you can surround yourself with absolute
first-division talent to bring these compositions to life.
Collier had recorded the Down Another Road studio album in March 1969 and followed it up with a tour of European Festivals using the same group that had appeared on the studio recording. Of the music on the album, five tracks made it into the live set list with the seventeen and a half minute Danish Blue being replaced by the shorter Burblings For Bob.
Playlist 26/02/23. (Repeated Tuesday 28/02/23)
https://www.ayclifferadio.co.uk/listen/
Mardi Gras (cont) Dave Brubeck Trio.
Request: Chick Corea.
Birthday Memories: Nina Simone.
(Press release) Award-winning tenor saxophonist Simon Spillett is taking his all-star big band into the studios this spring to record its first album.
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| (© Russell) |
Matt Ford (vocals); Michael Lamb (MD), Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (trumpets); Jamie Toms, Matt Forster, Keith Robinson, Steve Summers, Sue Ferris (reeds); Mark Ferris, Keiran Parnaby, Chris Kurgi-Smith, John Flood (trombones); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Graham Don (piano, keyboards); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Guy Swinton (drums); Alice Grace (vocals)
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| (© Malcolm Sinclair) |
As the audience filed into the Gala's top floor studio space one thing was immediately noticeable, this afternoon's lunchtime jazz concert would be played 'long ways on', in other words a portable/temporary stage stood at the far end of the room with regimented rows of seats stretching back towards the entrance. Those arriving early bagged the best seats - ie at or near the front, latecomers occupying the remainder. The capacity audience was there to listen to the voice and piano duo of Jo Harrop and Paul Edis.
mjf2023 will take place between 19 - 28 May 2023 at venues and sites across Manchester, celebrating the latest up and coming talent from across the North, and the best names in contemporary jazz including: Hot 8 Brass Band, Buena Vista Social Club's Eliades Ochoa, Mica Millar, Billy Cobham, Arun Ghosh, Fred Wesley and the New J.B.’s, Yemi Bolatiwa and many more...
Back in the early 1960s, in the days before the Blaydon Jazz Club was formed (and is still functioning) some of the best modern jazz was centred around a long gone pub - the Blaydon Races. Situated just outside of Blaydon near Stella Power Station it had music most nights including at least one jazz session.
On piano, a fantastic Glaswegian pianist, Jimmy Miller - not to be confused with the pianist of the same name who was an integral part of the Squadronaires - a hard drinking Scotsman who, up to that time, was the best jazz pianist I'd ever heard in a local setting. As I recall, Ray Jobling was on bass and, whilst I can't recall the drummer, Dave Hedley also sat in. In fact the first time I ever heard the song Tangerine was when Dave sang it with great backing from the trio.
The pub, like Miller, Jobling and Hedley are now long gone but I wonder if anyone else has memories of the pub and/or the musicians? Lance
You can listen to the show anytime from noon on Saturday 25th
February by heading to www.mixcloud.com/hive_radio.
Plus, you can request tunes for future programmes by emailing
Colin at jazz.tyne.hive@gmail.com
or heading to www.jazzonthetyne.org.
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| (© Lance) |
Apologies for not getting all of the names, nor all of the tunes although, at a jam session, you can usually write them in advance. However, whilst we had the staple diet of Stella, Never be Another You, Blue Bossa, Dindi, Well You Needn't, Take the A Train, Caravan, My Funny Valentine and Cry me a River we did have a delightful version of Skylark by Cath Stephens who also did a job on Joni Mitchell's The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines. She even got the pronunciation right - de moin (e as in dress).
Our north-west correspondent, Mike Farmer, has informed me of a couple of jazz related deaths in his neck of the woods.
Blues singer Victor Brox, who worked with Alexis Korner and many others, has died recently aged 81. Jimi Hendrix described him as having the greatest white blues voice he ever heard. Obit.
Drummer Mike Holmes, who lived in Bromborough, Wirral, played in many north-west jazz venues backing well known musicians such as Pete King, Don Rendell, plus many singers, has also passed on. Holmes played frequently for Graham Brook who ran Wilmslow Jazz Club and Mike Farmer cherishes the experience he had of being around both these great musicians saying they will be sadly missed. RIP
A very enjoyable album by a NYC based Australian singer well up to the challenge posed by re-imagining several well-known standards without the support of a harmonic cushion. Tightrope walker and safety net (lack of) are words that spring to mind.
That she comes through this perilous journey unscathed is due to three factors: Her faultless intonation, Oh's bass playing and Miller's drumming, particularly when switching to brushes.
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| (© Jeff Pritchard) |
Freddie always likes to play his Nord 2 keyboard at this venue rather than the house upright and positions himself on the left side of the room in front of the small bandstand. This no doubt is so he can communicate with the rest of the band without turning round.
An interesting album that grew on me with repeated listening. First play it didn't have me suggesting that you run down to your nearest record shop or to demand next day delivery from that big South American river store although, about the second or third time of asking, its hidden secrets began to unfold and I found myself getting in deeper than I'd initially expected.
I do believe that Dave Liebman was one of the fortunate visiting stars that worked with the Voice of the North Orchestra back in the day. What a fine orchestra that was, it would probably be called a collective these days.
Whilst that was probably a career highlight for Mr Liebman, as it would be for any American lucky enough to visit Darlington, he is probably still best known for his membership of Miles Davis’ group back in the days of On The Corner which came out in 1972. Leo Genovese has also been up this way, performing in a group at a Sage jazz festival one year with Joe Lovano, Esperanza Spalding and Jack DeJohnette. Both Tyshawn Sorey and Peter Evans have extensive discographies as both leaders and sidemen so there is quality, here, throughout the ranks.
I'll confess, I'd never heard of Eddie Gripper. Was he an all-in wrestler, someone who could dissect a piano with a one forearm smash?
Turns out he is anything but. A sensitive pianist of the Bill Evans school of less is more, his minimalist interpretations of his own compositions are quite beautiful. And, so they should be as they are dedicated to, amongst others, his late grandmother.
I'd liked to have learned more about this lady and her influence on his musical career but the music speaks for itself. A nice album and well worth sounding out in real/cyberspace. In fact, it's lovely.
It's available on Ubuntu Music UBU0133 on March 3. Lance
I've been having great fun lately on Wednesdays at the Globe Songwriting Course, which is run by Tim Dalling, whom you may remember from the comedy/folk band the Old Rope String Band a few years back. We had to write a song about 'writing a song' so I came up with this offering which may interest readers. Don't think I'll be performing this one at any jams, any time soon, mind. Just a bit of fun!
A Sort Of Song
Night and Day, Cole Porter's the one
Steal his lyrics to write a good song
It's too hard to make words up
Just use his because they're good
He won't object at all
Because he's dead!
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| (© Patti Durham) |
Storm Otto certainly made some roofs staccato (ref Ellington number Riff Staccato) but it stopped only but a few braving it to the monthly JATLP session and, whilst it may have torn down a few trees and incapacitated Whitley Bay Metro Station it did enable those who hadn't pre-booked to snap up the seats of those who had stayed at home wondering where their conservatory had gone .
Indeed, those who weren't bemoaning their loss of the house next door were soon sitting and singing a bebop version of Why Are We Waiting? They weren't actually but it must have been in their minds when the word got around that the star attractions were still on an express train that, because of the storm, was going no faster than the service in an all-night Tesco Express.
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| (© ken Drew) |
Following hot on the heels of recent Jazz North East presentations from Portugal's Luis Vicente and American saxophonist John Dikeman, this week saw the phenomenal Franco-Belgian trio of Sylvain Darrifourcq, Valentin Ceccaldi and Manuel Hermia. They came to Newcastle following performances in Slovenia and Austria, and whilst they are generally booked into larger venues, this was an opportunity to see, and more importantly, hear them in the intimate upstairs room in the Jazz Bar at the Globe, choosing to come here for their only UK gig of this mini-Tour.
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| (© M. Lamb) |
It was a duo performance that I rate alongside, amongst others, the quartet concert by Ella and Don Abney at Newcastle's City Hall and Mel Tormé and George Shearing's gig at the Royal Festival Hall even though that latter concert also had a bass player in tow.
This early 2020 recording from Frank Griffith's Liverpool based quartet is an extremely welcome addition to the catalogue of albums by modern sax quartets. Expertly played and recorded at Paul O'Neill's L'pool 'Soundhouse Studios' it contains a splendid variety of material designed to demonstrate the outfit's ability to impress a wide audience profile. Indeed, having been formed elsewhere back in 2015, Saxtivity have been enjoyed at many different venues including music clubs, cafés, churches and educational establishments. From my personal experience as a long-time collector of saxophonists' work I consider this album a most interesting arrival on account of its content as summarised below.
Sorry to bring football on to the blog again as I know some of our readers would sooner read about the world tiddly-winks championship rather than tonight's Championship game between Sheffield United and Middlesbrough.
However, both towns/cities do have impeccable jazz credentials. Sheffield's Jazz at the Lescar is one of the top provincial jazz venues in the UK whilst Middlesbrough, back in 1978, hosted the greatest ever jazz festival outside of London.
My interest goes further back. During WWII my dad was stationed at a POW camp at Lodge Moor just on the outskirts of Sheffield where his contribution to the war effort consisted of playing piano in the NAAFI accompanying the Italian tenors and baritones who were interned there.
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| (© Jeff Pritchard) |
After a busy day doing mundane things like shopping for food and doing the washing, I was thinking of having an evening at home but in the end the lure of some live jazz at the Railway made me change my mind. I got there early and was surprised to see so many people in the music room. Usually Tuesdays nights are not as busy as Sundays but I noticed a few unfamiliar faces in the audience and that's always good to see.
Nevertheless, the watering hole around the corner had, amongst other temptations, Hobgoblin, a very fine ale, so I settled myself comfortably in a corner with a pint of the same and Bill Bryson's The Lost Continent.*
Bartholomew (or Chris to his friends) makes experimental electronic music with a cinematic tinge - you might file him alongside Hannah Peel, Tim Hecker or Ben Frost. Bartholomew’s live shows combine radical re-interpretations of his music with sonic exploration and improvisation - in one moment he might be sampling a frying pan into melody or looping the sounds of the magnetic waves surrounding him, before deftly integrating them into a live remix of one of his tracks.
The Central Bar Quintet's monthly session has many things going for it: a first set performance of an album (invariably a classic Blue Note recording), a second set of familiar numbers, a fine quintet, friends all, performing in a relaxed setting and, for some, the importance of a good selection of beers at the bar. A mere fiver admission, there's only one place to be on the second Monday in the month, that's Central Bar on Half Moon Lane.
(Press release): Join us for the Tuesday jam session, described by BSH as
"the best jam session in town". This time we have the fantastic Ben
Phillips on keys, the ever supportive Mark Robertson on drums, and Paul
Grainger on bass. Sitters-in are always welcome so bring your horn, voice,
guitar, comb and paper, spoons and join the trio, or come to listen and be part
of the most supportive audience in town. Free admission, 7:30pm start.
(Editor): To give you a flavour read about the previous one HERE.
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| (© Jeff Pritchard) |
The flyer for February advertised this gig as a trio but I counted four musicians assembled on stage! Still, I had no complaints as four is usually better than three especially when the ringer is Andrzej Baranek of whom it's always a pleasure to hear as he never fails to get a fantastic sound from his keyboard.
A lovely surprise last night at the folk club. Among the ballads and songs of lost love and murder, the usual folk
fare, were The Elderly Brothers, who are Terry Docherty and Herbie Hudson. Mr Hudson didn't have his trombone tonight, but played his chromatic mouth organ, which he played long before he ever picked up
a trombone. With Mr Docherty on guitar they entertained us mightily. Songs
included St James Infirmary Blues; WC Handy's St Louis Blues; and Deep River Blues. Such a treat and I hope they come again.
Also they were an appreciative audience for us folkies, and the evening was well rounded off with the humour of a song about Seven Old Ladies Stuck In The Lavatory. The folk club is on every Sunday, 7.30pm to 10.30pm, at the Bowls Centre, Jack Clark Park. Ann Alex
You can listen to the show anytime from 5pm on Monday 13th
February by heading to www.mixcloud.com/hive_radio.
Plus, you can request tunes for future programmes by emailing
Colin at jazz.tyne.hive@gmail.com
or heading to www.jazzonthetyne.org.
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| (© Russell) |
King's Hall in the heart of Newcastle University, was a new venue for the NCRO. A quite magnificent setting, the walls bedecked with portraits of key figures from the uni's past and an in tune Steinway grand piano. The portents looked good.
https://www.ayclifferadio.co.
Playlist 12/02/23. (Repeated Tuesday
14/02/23)
Valentine Requests: Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby Timmins, Carmen McRae, Beatles, Bill Evans Trio, Ruth Lambert.
Alligator Gumbo
Requests: Jeff Beck Band, Nellie Lutcher, Buddy Rich, Kenny
Wheeler, Clark Terry/Coleman Hawkins.
Valentine Cont. Tina May.
What’s On in the
NE: Georgia Cecile, Julia Titus and her Pigfoot Band.
Valentine Cont.: Chris Barber, Jeff Barnhart/John Hallam, Jazz Messengers.
