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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

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, March 01, 2023

Album review: Five-Way Split - All the Way

Quentin Collins (trumpet); Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor, soprano sax); Rob Barron (piano); Mátáyas Hofecker (bass); Matt Home (drums).

Although the album isn't released until March 17, those of you hanging out within the sound of Bow Bells can catch Five-Way Split at the Crypt Jazz Club on Friday (March 3). Even if you live further afield, like maybe the planet Mars, the trip, on the strength of this album, will still be worth it.

It's that good!

How could it not be with such a line-up?

This is hard bop for today. Art Blakey delivered the message, Five-Way Split received it, decoded it and added their own stamp.

On tenor and soprano (although the latter horn isn't mentioned in the notes) Vasi swings as only he can and it's fair to say that north east jazz fans won't argue with that! In Quentin Collins he has the ideal front-line partner. The pair capture the idiom to perfection. That they do this without sounding in anyway dated is a credit to themselves and to the material - 3 by Collins, 2 each by Vasi and Barron and a couple of covers.

One of Vasi's originals, San Sebastian, had a special meaning for me. The city in Spain's Basque country will forever be close to my heart and this composition did nothing other than to enhance those feelings.

A great rhythm section that, and dare I say it?, because of its less in your face approach offered a more subtle alternative to that of the Jazz Messengers. There's room for both and this band, when judgement day comes, will be up there with them. Highly recommended. Lance

Available from March 17 on Ubuntu Music - UBU0129.

Out of Wayne's Bag; Lingua Franca; Mr Birthday Waltz; All the Way; Asymphonatic; Evidently; Theme For Ernie; San Sebastian; Flattening the Curve

1 comment :

Mike Farmer said...

This album looks like one worth getting. You mentioned the track San Sebastian which reminded you of your visit there. I spent some time there with a couple of friends and unfortunately we had just missed the Jazz Festival which we unaware of. After finding a camp site we drove into the town and they still had banners advertising the festival showing saxman Hal Singer as the main attraction. We got caught up in a police road block due to ETA activity but I thought the place was one of the most beautiful towns I have visited in spite of the political situation at the time.

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