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

18767 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 631 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 31) 95.

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

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 06: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guest Zoë Gilby.
Thu 06: 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 06: Bridget Metcalfe Sextet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 08: ???

Sun 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Ropner Park, Stockton. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: The Gambling Janes @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 10: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.Free.

Tue 11: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Jam session @ The tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 12: Look Left @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Sunday, June 25, 2023

Album review: Matt Holborn's Learn to Draw - *here (and other stories)

Matt Holborn (violin); Kourosh Kanani (guitar); Domenico Angarano (bass); Joost Hendrickx (drums) + on track 6 Miranda Lewis Brown (cello); Julia Reis (viola) 

Matt Holborn's new album *here (and other stories) is the debut release from the violinist's Learn to Draw project. A noted Djangologist and a fixture on the London jazz scene, Holborn has assembled a top class quartet - guitarist and fellow Djangologist Kourosh Kanani, bassist Domenico Angarano and drummer Joost Hendrickx - augmented on Learn to Draw (the sixth track on the album) by two string players from the London-based J.A.M. ensemble - Miranda Lewis Brown, cello, and Julia Dos Reis.  

The product of a Hull Jazz Festival commission, the recording's seven tracks are something of a departure from the music associated with the London Django Collective. Embracing a wide range of styles and influences from Eastern Europe, India, America and beyond, Here is a suite of tunes inspired by, perhaps depicting, some of the many facets of Hull, Holborn's home town. Prior to going into the studio, Holborn made a point of returning to the city to reacquaint himself with his childhood haunts, to the extent that he signed up to a guided tour of the city. Paul, the tour guide on the day, lends his name to the opening track - Here suite - Paul's Round.

Jazz, folk and more, with melody at its core, the varied, disparate sounds are, perhaps, a response to Hull's historical links with people and communities from across the globe. The album's press release refers to Learn to Draw's 'indie tinged study of 3 part string writing combined with sections of improvised string ensemble playing'. It's likely that written and improvised sections are at the heart of each track. The album's forty six minutes' worth of material demands repeated listening which, no doubt, will reveal more riches.                              
Learn to Draw's *here (and other stories) is available from www.mattholborn.com. Russell

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