Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18818 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 682 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 20) 51.

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

August

Tue 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 27: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 27: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 27: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 28: Graham Hardy Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 28: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 29: Brian Jackson @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:30pm (doors). £32.00.

Sun 30: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Tango Jazz Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Album Review: Cyrille Aimée – à Fleur de Peau

Cyrille Aimée's latest album comprises original songs arranged by her in close collaboration with New York multi-instrumentalist Jake Sherman, songs which are personal yet with universal meanings, songs influenced by her Dominican heritage of African dance rhythms and Spanish folksongs and all with elements of contemporary pop music.

Ms Aimée lives in New Orleans. When the pandemic began she moved to Costa Rica where she built a house and with new found confidence, wrote the songs and recorded the album which was based around Ms Aimée's performances with added arrangements. The album is good of its type but not really to my taste, and it just does not have a jazz-like 'feel'.  It's closer to pop music and soul.

Back To You for instance is described as having a nu-soul inflection, and I'm not really sure what that means. Again Again is a sad guitar ballad, Beautiful Way is a tribute to New Orleans sung in both English and French; Feel What I Feel concerns the feelings experienced on a mountain; Here is a lively staccato song about living in the present, with the lyrics 'Even in my dreams I wake up'.

Many of the songs are love songs and the general feel of the album is of very full instrumentation and a general easy-listening vibe which would sound effective as a late night party accompaniment. I did rather enjoy the French chanson feel of Ma Preference and the final track Historia de Amor, a two-chord love song dedicated to nature.

Presumably the album is available via the usual channels. Ann Alex

Beautiful Way; Again Again; For the Love of You; Inside and Out; Yo Soy Diosa; Back to You; Feel What I feel; Here; Ma Preference; Historia de Amor

Cyrille Aimée (vocals, acoustic guitar, baritone ukulele); Abe Rounds (drums, perc); Jake Sherman (production, other instruments via synthesiser?) + on various other tracks (Armando Young (drum production); Wayne Tucker (trumpet); Jorge Roeder (bass); Duncan Wickel (violins, cellos); Naseem Alatrash (cellos); Jay Rattman (clarinet); Michael Valeanu (electric guitar); Maria Cardona (vocals); Jamison Ross (drums); Chloe Rowlands (trumpet, flugelhorn); Andy Clausen (trombone); The Williamsburg School of Music Chorus, director Camille Harris;

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