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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.
Tue 18: Phil Bancroft’s Beautiful Storm @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20 & £11.00.. A JNE-Gem Arts co-promotion.

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: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ 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: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

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: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ 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: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

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

Sunday, April 07, 2024

Double album review: Shelly Manne & His Men - Jazz From the Pacific Northwest (Reel to Real)

(Disc one) Shelly Manne (drums); Monty Budwig (bass); Russ Freeman (piano); Herb Geller (alto sax); Stu Williamson (trumpet). Monterey Jazz Festival Oct. 4, 1958

(Disc two) Shelly Manne (drums); Monty Budwig (bass); Hampton Hawes  (piano); Frank Strozier (flute, alto sax); Conte Candoli (trumpet) + Ruth Price (vocal on 2 tks.). The Penthouse, Seattle Sept. 7/15, 1966.

Another gem released on double vinyl for Record Store Day (April 20) and on CD  & digital on May 20.

Back in the day, jazz from the west coast of America was often written off as cold, bland and emotionless. Listening to these two discs nothing could be further from the truth. As there are still jazz fans and critics around who continue to perpetuate that myth I hope they get around to listening to either or both of these albums and that the veil will be lifted although those detractors will probably point out that, apart from the leader, the other four on disc one are all east coast imports!

The earlier set from Monterey has Geller and Williamson blowing as hot as any of their NYC contemporaries. Driven along by the rhythm section of Manne, Budwig and Freeman, it brought back memories of hearing the Shelly Manne Quintet as part of a JATP package. On that occasion Richie Kamuka and Joe Gordon were in the frontline but the end result was the same - hard swinging modern jazz.

Stop, Look and Listen, a number I first heard on a 12" 78rpm by Tommy Dorsey had, I recall, Bud Freeman taking a tasty and relaxed tenor solo. Nothing relaxed about Geller's alto solo. A fast moving cutting-edge blast matched by Williamson. Charlie Mariano's The Vamp's Blues, although not without some fun moments, is deadly serious when the chips are down. The final track, Quartet - a four part suite by Bill Holman - has, like all good suites, tempo changes and solo features as well as imaginative drumming from Manne and some off-stage sounds from low flying aircraft. 

Eight years later Manne moved up the coast for a season at Seattle's legendary Penthouse Club from where a lot classic sessions have recently been unearthed.

This time 'his men' consisted of one of the all-time greats of modern jazz piano, Hampton Hawes, flute and alto saxist Frank Strozier, former Kenton trumpet ace, Conte Candoli with bassist Budwig staying on board.

A romping Softly as in a Morning Sunrise is followed by Strozier fluting on a seemingly endless version of Summertime. After some 5 minutes Candoli took up the cotton picking. Tightly muted, he hung around for about two minutes thirty seconds, Hawes stayed for two minutes then, presumably, left to see the fish jumping whilst Budwig held the fort for a couple of minutes before Strozier returned.

Ruth Price impressed on a couple of short vocal spots: Dearly Beloved and Surrey With the Fringe on Top accompanied by just the rhythm section. I was pleased to note she steered clear of Summertime and Secret Love, which are better served as instrumentals.

Hawes provided an original, Funny, that had Strozier paintstripping on alto. He returned to flute for the aforementioned Secret  Love taken at a tempo akin to the barroom reaction when 'last orders' are called. Candoli solos in the clipped manner associated with trumpet players who didn't have the technique of Dizzy, the tone of Clifford or Fats and were still coming to terms with Miles. Hampton Hawes, as ever, did the biz.

Another Record Store Day must have. Lance

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