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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00.
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. Free.

January 2025

Wed 01: ???

Thu 02: ???

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

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

Friday, November 03, 2023

Album review: Royal New Zealand Air Force Jazz Orchestra - Kaiwhakatere (Navigator)

Oscar Lavën, Hayden Hockley (alto sax); Blair Latham (tenor sax, clarinet); Louisa Williamson (tenor sax, flute); Andre Paris (baritone sax); Ben Hunt, Cam Robertson, Mike Costeloe (trumpet); James Guilford (trumpet, flugel); Kaito Walley, Mike Ashton, Sarah Rathbun (trombone); Kelvin Payne or Ben Robertson bass trombone); Leonardo Coghini (piano); Seth Boy (bass); Darren Mathiassen (drums) + Stephanie Paris (vocal on 1 tk); Frank Talbot (clarinet on 2 tks)

I haven't listed the ranks of the individual musicians but, collectively they include all ranks plus one officer, Squadron Leader David Gallaher who (naturally) is the director of music.

However, as they are all part-time reservists I don't suppose they've got many flying hours in the cockpit but what they do have, on the strength of this album, is many hours practice time spent honing their musical skills.

It's not a swing band as such although it does swing in every conceivable which way possible.

Behemoth of the Bathyal Wastes features Loisa Williamson's alto and Cam Robertson on trumpet. This is what Kenton may have sounded like if he'd been born say a half a century later. He'd have loved the title! 
View to the Sea is more restrained but with great solos from Guilford and Andre Paris on baritone and this one swings by anyone's standards.
Let's Not Fall in Love features Stephanie Paris on a lovely tune that was unfamiliar to me but seemingly composed by LAC Seth Boy and is much superior to the Asian song of the same name. Absolutely delightful.
Birds of Prey, a somewhat abstract composition that brings George Russell to mind or maybe Kenton's City of Glass if, as I said earlier, he'd been born ... Listen to the brass! This is a wild explosion with Latham, Talbot and Mathiassen at the forefront. The various station bands that I played in during my National Service were never as exciting as this! In fairness, neither were the Squadronaires or the Skyrockets. How could they be? They came first!
Drifting does just that with some coordinated section work and Coghini tinkling the ivories to great effect.
Royal Blue kicks off with an explosion from Mattiassen leading into a trumpet solo as modern as tomorrow from Costeloe, followed by Walley and Lavën . This is like latter-day Basie, Herman, Rich - love it!
Pigeons - Reprise. I'm not sure what they're reprising but it's the weakest track on an exceptional album. 

As a matter of local interest, well just up the road and over the border, Alistair Isdale co-produced the album with expat drummer John Rae of the well known Scottish jazz dynasty. Lance

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