Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 742 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 4.) 21.

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

September.

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club. 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 09: NONUNONU @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE. Excellent trio.

Thu 10: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 10: Jacenaite All Crew @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 10: Emma Rawicz INKYRA @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.30. Sage Two. Line-up: Emma Rawicz (sax); Scottie Thompson (piano, keyboards, synth); David Preston (guitar); Kevin Glasgow (bass guitar); Jack Thomas (drums).

Fri 11: Esther Bennett @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £10.00. Esther Bennett (vocals); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass).
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £14.09 (inc. bf).

Sat 12: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 12: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26 (inc. bf).

Sun 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: King Bees @ Shape Patisserie, Darlington. 3:00pm. Free. Duo (Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor). A Rhythm & Blues Fringe event. Blues excellence.
Sun 13: Alligator Gumbo @ The Cluny. 5:00pm. £17.15.; £11.43; £5.72.
Sun 13: Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Thursday, December 07, 2023

Top Ten archival albums.

This year has, once again, unearthed many gems from within various vaults and dusty cellars. These are just some of them and for me to rate them like a top twenty chart is ludicrous! Nevertheless, here I go with the proviso that had I to do it again tomorrow it would be totally different!

1: Sonny Stitt - Boppin' in Baltimore (Jazz Detective)

2. Ahmad Jamal - Emerald City Nights, 1966-1968 (Jazz Detective)

3. Johnny Griffin - Live at Ronnie Scott's (Gearbox Records)

4. Sonny Clark - The Complete Blue Note Recordings (Mosaic)

5. Chet Baker - Blue Room  (Jazz Detective)

6. Bill Evans - Tales, Live in Copenhagen (Resonance)

7. Luis Russell - At the Swing Cats Ball (Dot Time)

8. Shirley Scott - Queen Talk: Live at the Left Bank (Reel to Reel)

9. Basie All Stars - Live at Fabrik Vol. 1 (Jazzline)

10. Cal Tjader - Catch the Groove (Jazz Detective).

So many more, Mingus, Brubeck, Walter Bishop Jr., Sal Mosca etc. You could put the names in a snap-brim hat or a Fedora give them a shuffle, draw them out blindfolded and, even if the result was totally different it would still be credible. Lance

1 comment :

Paul Grainger said...

Giving in to the wind and rain I spent tonight listening to some of my favourite records (at least tonight's favourites), and had a quick browse of BSH.
As you say, Lance, a list as short as 10 will change even as it's being written down. Thoughts/coincidences from one leads you to think of another.
Anyway, for anyone who cares, tonight I have been mostly listening to:

1. Oscar Peterson and the bassists (Ray Brown, Niels Pederson) - Montreux '77 (Pablo)
2. Joe Pass/Milt Jackson/Ray Brown/Mickey Roker - All Too Soon: Quadrant Toasts Duke Ellington (Pablo)
3. Duke Ellington, Charlie Mingus, Max Roach - Money Jungle (United Artists Jazz)
4. Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else (Blue Note)
5. Jutta Hipp/with Zoot Sims - Jutta Hipp (Blue Note)
6. Art Pepper + Eleven - Modern Jazz Classics (Contemporary)
7. The Milcho Leviev Quartet - Blues For The Fisherman (Mole Jazz)
8. Hampton Hawes - Spanish Steps (Black Lion/Polydor)
9. Joe Williams - At Newport '63 (RCA Victor)
10. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - Ella and Louis Again (Verve)

...and as I'm finishing the list I'm already listening to Five Way Split's All The Way (Ubuntu), and while looking for that I found a great old Fletcher Henderson collection.. Do I write a top 20, or just choose accept that it would end up as a list of 1000 and go on all night?

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