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

18504 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 368 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 7 ) 22

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

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: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 10: The Chet Set @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.
Sun 10: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.

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: Hey Remember This @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 14: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Philip Larkin’s Jazz Experiment.
Thu 14: Jerron Paxton @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb country blues.
Thu 14: Solcade @ the Bridge Hotel, Newcastle. 7:00pm. EP launch. Rivkala & co..
Thu 14: Jacob Egglestone @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Egglestone (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass); Jack Littlewood (drums) & guests.
Thu 14: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 15: Conor Emery Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Line-up Emery (trombone); Alix Shepherd (piano); John Pope (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01 adv., £15.00 on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Puppini Sisters @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!

Sat 16: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner. God Bless the Child - Lady Day!. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 16: Kaberry Big Band @ the Seahorse Pub, Hillheads Rd., Whitley Bay NE23 8HR. From 7:300pm. £15.00
Sat 16: Lady Nade @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. ‘Lady Nade sings Nina Simone’.

Friday, August 25, 2023

Album review: Mette Juul - Celeste

Mette Juul (vocals, guitar); Mike Moreno (guitar); Lars Danielsson (bass, cello, celeste, melodica, cymbals)

There's a wistful, ethereal, little girl lost charm about Danish singer Juul's voice. It entwines, not just around the lyric but also around the heart, the ears, of the listener. The only other singer I can recall who achieved that same effect was the late Shirley Horn. Shirley, like Mette, could turn a swinger into a lovelorn ballad and vice versa. 

The material is superb. Five songbook classics, a couple with lyrics by Norma Winstone who is batting in the same league, a couple with lyrics by Juul and music by Thomas Fonnesbæk and one by Kirk Nurock and Judy Niemack.

It's compelling stuff, the kind of album you want to share with someone special, over a late night/early morning drink the way your parents/grandparents once did listening to Sinatra or Bennett. Who am I foolin'? The way I once did!

It's beautiful and the accompanying musicians are too. If you want to hit the spot this is a good place to start. It's not released until November 10 but you can hear a snippet of Beautiful Love HERELance  

Beautiful Love; My Foolish Heart; With a Song in my Heart; Nature Boy; I'm Moving on; Distance; Northern Woods; Love is a Many-Splendored Thing; Celeste; Where You've Never Been

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