Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18818 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 682 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 20) 51.

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

From This Moment On

August

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 27: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 27: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 28: Graham Hardy Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 29: Brian Jackson @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:30pm (doors). £32.00.

Sun 30: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Tango Jazz Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

September.

Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Thursday, May 04, 2023

EP review: Adam Beaudoin - I Hear a Rhapsody

Adam Beaudoin (vocal); Paul Janoschka (piano); Giacomo Tagliavia (bass); Jonas Esser (drums)

I'm not going to compare this to sliced bread but it is certainly musically digestible. Beaudoin has a pleasant voice with plenty of jazz inflections most notably when he takes off on some horn-like scatting supported by a trio of New York's finest.

It's a laid back sound with hints of Tormé and Chet. The intonation is spot on making for a relaxing 22 minutes of jazz vocal that can stand up with most other singers working on the same (sunny) side of the street. 

Whereby lies the problem. There are still so many  vocalists whose repertoire is umbilically tied to the  GASbook, that infinite volume that a friend, who shall be nameless, once asked if it was available in paperback!, that they face an uphill battle.

Irrespective of how good a singer you are, and Beaudoin is that and more, the audience for classic songs such as these know them from way back by Sinatra, Ella, Bennett, Greco, Tormé, and so many more other greats, it's going to take an effort to win them over.

However, given the right promotion, some prestigious live gigs (which he already has in NYC where he is also a graduate student at The City College of NY and where he is set to receive his Masters in Jazz Performance in June of this year)  plus some US/UK airplay Adam could well become, if not a superstar, at the very least a major player. Lance

The EP, I Hear a Rhapsody, is now available from the various online barrow boys such as Amazon, CDBaby and BANDCAMP.

I Hear a Rhapsody; You Don't Know What Love is; I'll Remember April; If You Could See me Now; It's You or no One.

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