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

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: Abbie Finn Trio @ Sheepfolds, Sunderland. 5:00-10:00pm. Free. A National Macken Day event. AF3 on stage at 6:30pm. Tickets (free) from: www.eventbrite.co.uk.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 26
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.

Thu 13: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 13: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 27.
Thu 13: 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 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Saturday, September 23, 2023

Album review: Logan Kane - Floor Plans

Logan Kane (upright/electric basses, synth, guitar, comps);David Binney (alto sax); Benjamin Ring (drums) + John Escreet (piano on 4 tks); Paul Cornish (piano on 5 tks); Mark Turner (tenor sax on 2 tks); Jon Hatamya (trombone on 1 tk).

Kane, a 26-year-old Los Angeles bassist, is undoubtedly a young man of great talent irrespective of which instrument. The blurb tells us he has already surpassed all ambition on his instrument of choice. I'm not quite sure what that means. Has he no further ambition? 

Certainly he displays a phenomenal technique as indeed do his henchmen. Even on the balladic Spiders Binney unleashes more notes per minute than cash machines do on the eve of a forecast bank failure. Cornish does likewise on Mountains.

However, don't take this as a negative review. I know many of my colleagues would be in orgasmic ecstasy over this with its cacophonous explosions. I should really have found a better home for it rather than in my ± mid fifties time-warp but, there you go. Certainly it's one for bass players to listen and learn from.  That is if they haven't got any Mingus, Jaco, Stanley Clarke or, dare I say it without being accused of being parochially biased, Andy Champion or John Pope? Lance

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