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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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
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: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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

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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