Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Album review: Eunmi Lee - Introspection

Lee, a South Korean composer, pianist, educator, now living in NYC, makes her recording debut with this delightful album. It's gentle and appropriately titled, aiming at the heart and the mind rather than going all-out for the jugular and, with the help of co-producer Ferber, succeeds quite magnificently.

It was Ferber who chose the musicians - all first call players in the jazz capital of the world and they handle Lee's compositions effectively expressing the thoughts that inspired each one (follow the Bandcamp link below to pick up on those thoughts as well as to check out the music).

Gimmick: Solos by Ellis on tenor, contemporary cool. Fine piano from Lee. Hoenig on drums, a modern post-bop sound.

Suspicion: A chamber music setting featuring the string quartet with some interjections on bass clarinet from Ellis. Lee sits this one out.

5.19: More strings, delicate piano, almost Bill Evans, Ellis moves to Bb clarinet.

Narcissism: Ferber on trombone, Le Boeuf on alto and the composer on piano who remarks in her notes that whilst people who post on social media seem happy the ones she sees on the subway don't look happy at all!

Mr Weird: A swingy Basie/Woody type number based around people Eunmi observes in Washington Square Park. Le Boeuf flying high.

Wavelength: Is a quartet track that has the pianist at her most sensitive.

Azure: Described as the colour of her heart. Gomes on guitar paints his own picture with horns and strings adding further pastel shades.

Check it out on BANDCAMP  Lance

 Eunmi Lee (piano); Vinicius Gomes (guitar); Matt Clohesy (bass); Ari Hoenig (drums) + Tony Kadleck (trumpet tk 5); Alan Ferber (trombone tks 1,4,5,7); Jon Gordon (sop/alto sax tks 5,7); Remy Le Boeuf (alto/bari sax tks 4,5,7); John Ellis (tenor sax/clarinet/bass clarinet tks 1,2,3,5,7); Joyce Hammann (violin tks 2,3,7); Meg Okura (violin tk 3); Lois Martin (viola tks 2,3,7); Maria Jeffers (cello tk 2), Jody Redhage (cello tk 3)

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