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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

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

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.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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

Saturday, October 21, 2023

Crazy Street, Number Zero

 

(© RAI)
Imagine switching on your TV any weekday evening around 8.15 and being treated to around 20 minutes of music and conversation, presented in a light and engaging way by a noted vocalist/actress and an internationally renowned jazz pianist.  Not something that you would find in the UK, but in Italy it’s a reality.

I first became aware of Stefano Bollani 20 years ago, when I heard him play in the quintet led by trumpeter Enrico Rava. It was clear then that Bollani had an outstanding talent and that he and Rava had a strong rapport.  This became even more evident when I saw them perform as a duo a few years later, promoting their album for ECM, The Third Man. In the meantime, Bollani’s career was flourishing, through both collaborations with the likes of Chick Corea, Phil Woods and Paul Motian, and a wide range of projects in his own right.  Seeing Bollani in a solo piano gig sometime afterwards, I was struck not only by his virtuosity but also by his extrovert nature – a real showman.

So, perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised to learn that he now co-presents a TV show.  But I was amazed to discover that this show currently goes out five days a week at prime time on one of Italy’s main channels (RaiTre).  The title of the show, Via dei Matti, n. 0, which translates as “Crazy Street, Number Zero”, refers to an Italian nursery rhyme of the same name. Bollani and his wife Valentina Cenni chat, play music, and welcome musicians from many genres.

According to the RaiPlay website, each episode is based on a different topic related to music: intriguing anecdotes, stories intertwined with philosophical reflections which give shape to a new musical universe where there are no distinctions between genres and, above all, no limits on thought.  This might sound highfaluting, but in fact the programmes flow easily and are very entertaining.  For example, a recent episode I watched whilst in Italy focused on dreams and surrealism. Bollani and Cenni discussed Erik Satie’s collaboration with Pablo Picasso for the ballet Parade and Bollani played an extract from Satie’s Ragtime du Paquebot. The presenters also spoke about Joan Miró’s love for jazz and his meeting in 1966 with his idol, Duke Ellington - unfortunately, neither man understood the other’s language!

To date, there have been more than 100 episodes, featuring jazz musicians such as trumpeters Paolo Fresu and Fabrizio Bosso; saxophonists Stefano Di Battista and Rosario Giuliani; clarinettist Gabriele Mirabassi; trombonist Gianluca Petrella; vocalists Sarah Jane Morris and Barbara Casini; pianists Dado Moroni and Danilo Rea; percussionist Trilok Gurtu; and drummers Jeff Ballard and Roberto Gatto.  Many Italian pop and classical musicians, as well as actors, have also appeared as guests. Critical reaction to the show has been overwhelmingly positive. The leading Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera describes it as “a rare pearl of Rai programming”.  According to another leading paper, La Repubblica, “you should go and live in Crazy Street, Number Zero”.

I’ve left the best news to last: you don’t need to go to Italy to watch the show!  All episodes are available here.  A knowledge of Italian would enable you to get the most from the programmes, but – even without that – there’s much to be enjoyed from the musical performances. Some of these are also available as stand-alone videos; for example, here’s a link to Bollani and Ballard playing Monk’s Bye-Ya* and the blues Second Line.

So, come on BBC, ITV, or Channel 4 – why can’t we have the same kind of prime time show in the UK?  With a North East connection in mind, how about having Paul Edis at the piano and vocals from Jo Harrop?  Or, thinking back to their entertaining living room gigs during lockdown, Zoë Gilby on vocals and Andy Champion on double bass could take centre stage.  As La Repubblica points out, it’s ridiculous to think about how much has been spent on the creation of absurd TV formats; rather, “peace of mind can always be found with a small idea and able people, to create a show characterised by dignity and talent”. Colin Muirhead

LINK

* The song was incorrectly listed as Epistrophy during the show; Bollani later corrected this.

1 comment :

Pippo said...

we are proud of this program, thank you for your flattering comment

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