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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ 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: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Album review: the Diva Jazz Orchestra "30" - Live at Dizzy's Club

A celebration of the Diva Jazz Orchestra's thirtieth anniversary recorded live at Dizzy's Club in NYC.

Sixteen women swinging like crazy, picking up where Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Basie and Duke left off. Okay, maybe an exaggeration but only a very slight one and, upon listening a second time, I'm not sure it's an exaggeration at all! Certainly the trumpet and trombone plunger solos by Dauber and Krupa on In a Mellow Tone wouldn't have been out of place in any Ellington ensemble. Likewise, on I'm Gonna go Fishin', Leslie Havens on bass trombone, Noriko Ueda bass, Laura Dreyer tenor sax and leader Sherrie Maricle on drums all recapture the original concept whilst making it their own.

Every Day I Have the Blues by Basie and Joe Williams put down the benchmark for this number and rightly so - until now that is. With Sue Giles wailing on voice and those Divas blowing like they were Kansas City born and bred this is one helluva work out.

Giles is also featured on A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald where she segues such classics by the First Lady as, The Object of My Affection, the song that won Ella the Apollo Theater’s Amateur Night at age seventeen, How High the Moon, Stompin’ at the Savoy/Undecided, A Tisket, A Tasket, and the finale Oh, Lady Be Good with Tommy Newsom orchestrating all five choruses of Ella’s famous scat solo for the entire band, with Sue leading the charge.

Another breathtaking moment is Three Sisters and a Cousin, inspired by Woody's Four Brothers it has all five saxes going for broke.

On I Feel Pretty leader Maricle says, 'we’ve added our distinct voice to the many ways one can feel pretty. Ours is to swing hard, groove like mad and let our soloists set the stage on fire'. Boy/girl, they certainly did just that!

There's more, so much more with ne'er a dull moment. 

Is it possible to fall simultaneously in love with sixteen women? I just have but don't tell my wife! Lance

Available Friday August 25 - presumably via usual suspects.

Something's Coming; In a Mellow Tone; Here's to Love (v); I'm Gonna go Fishin'; Every Day I Have the Blues (v); I Feel Pretty; Three Sisters and a Cousin; A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald (v); Inka Dinka Doo; Airmail Special

Sherrie Maricle (drums, MD) Erica von Kleis, Scheila Gonzales (alto sax); Laura Dreyer, Jade Elliott (tenor sax); Leigh Pilzer (bari sax); Kellin Hanas, Jami Dauber, Barbara Laronga, Liesl Whitaker (trumpets); Jennifer Krupa, Sara Therrien, Leslie Havens (trombone); Tomoko Ohno (piano); Noriko Uedo (bass); Sue Giles (vocals)

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