Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18482 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 346 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 30 ) 80

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

May

Thu 07: Robert Finley @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50. Excellent US falsetto soul/blues voice.
Thu 07: ALT @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Rob Walker. Thu 07: Liam & Shayo @ The Globe , Newcastle. 8:00pm. £5.00. Liam Oliver (guitar), Shayo Oshodi (vocals).
Thu 07: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised, tel: 0191 200 1975.
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 08: Alan Law Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Law, Mick Shoulder, John Bradford.
Fri 08: Giles Strong & Richard Herdman @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Guitar duo.
Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 6:00pm . Free. A Late Shows event.
Fri 08: Nigel Kennedy @ The Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Line-up inc. Alec Dankworth.

Sat 09: The Vieux Carré Hot 4 'Festival of Blossom' @ Seaton Delaval Hall National Trust. 12:30 - 3.00pm. Free event (admission applies).
Sat 09: SH#RP Collective w. Lindsay Hannon @ Church of Holy Name, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00 (inc. a welcome drink). Advance booking essential. Bring own snacks, drinks to be purchased at ‘donations’ bar. All proceeds to charity. A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sat 09: East Coast Swing Band @ Jubilee Hall, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £10.00.

Sun 10: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 12 noon. Free. Note earlier start.
Sun 10: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: The Chet Set @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.

Mon 11: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 12: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: TBC @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Monday, July 24, 2023

Album Review: John Allee – Past Imperfect

John Allee (vocals, piano, harmony vocals); Adam Bravo (piano); Mike Schnoebelen (bass); John Harvey (drums); Javier Vergara (tenor sax); Jeff Kaye (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jane Lui, Cortes Alexander (harmony vocals)

I could do worse than simply quote from the publicity sent with this CD: 'In his forty plus years as an actor, singer and songwriter, John Allee has met no shortage of interesting characters with unlikely stories to tell.'

This is Mr Allee's 4th studio album, brimful of entertaining people, romantics, strivers, gamblers, hucksters, cheaters, all described with witty, wry and yet caring lyrics. I hope this singer goes on to produce another four such albums as I enjoyed this one so much. A look at the set list below suggests the sort of people referred to, such as Get a Real Job and Where's the Door?

Many styles of music are referenced, ballads, blues, pop, all with a feel of jazz. Some of the best tracks are simply with voice and piano, notably Constant Storm of Jupiter, a tender love song about a woman of many changing moods. Lots of humour of course, as in Get a Real Job, with many fast nagging repetitions of that phrase.

All the instrumentalists are right on the money you could say, as on the track Hard Sell. Let's All up and go There is all about going to Hell, contrasted by the angelic voices of female backing singers!

I could go on talking about the songs, but there is a lot more information at www.johnallee.com, and also further details about this man's many talents and activities. For instance he has written two full-length, award-winning, musicals and has acted in film and on TV, including many Shakespearean roles.

The album is available on the usual platforms and physical CDs can be had from Amazon and johnallee.bandcamp.com/music. Ann Alex

Let's Hear it; Like; Until the Money's Gone; Hard Sell; Constant Storm of Jupiter; Some Other Way; A Typical Paris Affair; Truth be Told; Get a Real Job; The Outsider; This Old Hat; Let's All up and go There; Past Imperfect; Creatures of the Tried; Feather in Your Panama; Those Letters; Where's the Door?

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