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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

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Jo Harrop & Paul Edis w. Ken Marley @ Clothworkers' Centenary Concert Hall, Leeds University - April 27

Jo Harrop (vocals); Paul Edis (piano); Ken Marley (double bass)

Jo Harrop and Paul Edis are on a short tour of northern England and their itinerary includes one or two performances with Newcastle-born, west of the Pennines resident, bassist Ken Marley. Following a Thursday evening concert performance at Seven Arts in Leeds, our trio arrived at Leeds University's School of Music for a Friday lunchtime engagement in the historic Clothworkers' Centenary Concert Hall. 

In a light and airy cafe/bar members of the audience were enjoying free (free!) pre-concert refreshments, in the concert hall stood a Steinway awaiting P. Edis. At precisely five minutes past one, our trio emerged from the green room to play a set of some fifty minutes. Short Story from the 2022 Harrop/Edis CD When Winter Turns to Spring opened the programme. Harrop, Edis and Marley were, as anticipated, in fine form. The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants, a joyous Red Mary Janes & a Brand New Hat, material drawn from recent (award-winning) albums, those in the audience hearing Harrop and Edis (not forgetting the musically and sartorially immaculate Ken Marley) for the first time became instant fans.*       

Umbrellas in the Rain, (comp. Edis/Harrop), a selection from the Leonard Cohen songbook, and a new composition - Love is Like the Wind - set for a 2025 release, the Edis-Harrop partnership continues to flourish. Catch them at a gig near you.      
Post concert, signed merchandise (CDs and vinyl) told a story...the Harrop-Edis story is one of ever-greater success. Russell      

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Very nice piece - readers may have seen extra info found on the blog marlbank back in March about The Path of a Tear:

Key points: firstly there's another Harrop/Ian Barter co-write on the album which is significant given that Barter gelled so well with Chester-Le-Street's finest on 'Beautiful Fools' - the other song that they worked on is called 'Stay Here Tonight' which is going to be a radio single apparently. Ian played guitar on Amy Winehouse album Frank and wrote the lyrics and co-produced Dermot Kennedy's glorious 'Couldn't Tell.'

The story of the gonna treat-you-so-well lyrics of this ''shall we?'' song goes like this: protagonist speaking directly to wished-for suitor coos ''let's not complicate this'' as starters.

Produced by Larry Klein who has also produced the recent Tutu Puoane album Wrapped in Rhythm Vol 1 reviewed here and who also plays bass guitar on The Path of a Tear - the title track song itself is a Jo & Greg Soussan co-write.

The only other main thing to know about the album is the strength of the input of another jazz musician from Chester-Le-Street, pianist Paul Edis who has worked with Jo extensively.

Check out When Winter Turns to Spring that won a Parly last year. And 2021's What the Heart Wants which won nowt but on which Edis is also significant and featuring Christian McBride on the best track is even better. Quiet man Paul's input to 'Never Lonely in Soho' is one of the best aspects of the whole work. The song scenario there is Jo on a megaphone (sort-of) at the beginning conjuring a persona that feels lost in the countryside but prefers when feeling low, to wander the streets of Soho instead for restorative balm. And this is where erstwhile Diana Krall jazz guitar legend Anthony - son of the great bandleader Gerald - Wilson's guitar (check Collodian released last year) is so perfect. The location of the song, familiar to many habitués of Soho jazz clubs is at the heart of the jazz village on the corner of Old Compton Street and Greek Street.

Champagne for breakfast on a Monday morning… all dressed up in your Sunday best… the cleverness in the lyrics is the commentary that muses on the ''charade'' of the all-consuming bohemian lifestyle because ''nothing is entirely what it seems.''


The album covers are Leonard Cohen's 'Traveling Light' - it's on You Want It Darker; the Elton John Leon Russell gem 'If It Wasn't For Bad' is also a significant presence of the Lateralize release.


And just as well chosen - from 'The Galway Girl' writer Steve Earle - 'Goodbye' from the mid 1990s covered by the likes of Emmylou Harris and Curtis Stigers since makes it on.


The drummer-percussionist on the album is sessioneer Victor Indrizzo, who was on Aimee Mann's The Forgotten Arm & whose rolling 1-2-slam of the cymbal-3 beat fill at the beginning of 'Traveling Light' is super tasty; Jim Cox is on keys and the double bassist is David Piltch who is on a range of notable k. d. lang recordings particularly k. d.'s spinetingling homage to Canada - Hymns of the 49th Parallel.

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