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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00. CANCELLED!

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.
Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

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, March 13, 2023

Album review: Planet D Nonet - Blues to be There

(Collective); R.J. Spangler (bandleader, congas); Michael Zaporski (piano); Trevor Lamb (bass); Sean Perimutter (drums); James O'Donnell (vocal trumpet); Charlie Miller (trumpet); Tbone Paxton (trombone, vocal);  Alexis Colista (alto, sop sax); Christopher Tabacrynski (tenor sax, clarinet); Goode Wyche III (bari sax, clarinet); Alex Harding (bari sax); Ryan Bills (tenor sax); Kasan Belgrave (clarinet).

Please someone, send me some duck eggs to review just so I can vent my spleen! 

My spleen remains distinctly unvented by this splendid interpretation of some of Ellington's 1950s' classics. The soloists capture the mood to perfection and they don't fall asleep as some Ellingtonians were prone to do!

Close your eyes and this is Ellington. The soloists have captured the mood, adding their own personality to it. This is a band I'd love to hear live and, if logistics prevent a UK tour, I'm sure someone, just as Chris Hodgkins did on his recent Humph tribute, could put something similar together. 

I can't single anyone out individually as all the soloists are the cream of Detroit. However, having said that, maybe Charlie Miller just edges it - maybe... Everyone is at the top of their game. Perhaps the top marks should go to Mike Sailors, Walt Szymanski and Jeff Cuny who did the arrangements/transcriptions although, maybe the real plaudits should go back maybe 70 years!

Blues to be There is exactly how this made me feel. I wanted to be there listening to this band. Even more so than when I first heard Ellington's original recording of the title tune on Duke's legendary Newport 56 recording - the one where Gonsalves gets a bit long-winded! This is magical and the soloists know when to take the mouthpiece out of their gob!

Just as I was wondering if I'd gone over the top in my enthusiasm, they hit VIP's Boogie/Jam With Sam! OMG! this was it! If they can't make it to Newcastle then I'm off to Detroit - my Chevrolet's ancestry is there and so is much of this music. Motown it ain't! My town it is - at least for 67 minutes! If you only buy one album this year, unless it's the Best of the BBC (limited edition), This is the one - Luv it! Lance

Bandcamp

Spacemen; Pie Eye's Blues; Chinoiserie; Blues to be there; Moon Maiden; the Swingers Get the Blues Too; Blow by blow; tigress; Almost Cried; Purpel Gazelle; Way Early Subtone; Take the A Train; U.M.M.G; Bonga; Moonbow; VIP's Boogie/Jam With Sam.

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