Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18083 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1047 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Dec. 14), 61.

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:30pm. ‘The A Capella Sessions’. Gardner, Paula Gardner, Alexia Hope Gardner Diamany.
Wed 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Thu 25: Alexia Gardner @ The Townhouse, Bridge St., Morpeth. 1:30-4:00pm. ‘All About the Bass Sessions’. Alexia Gardner, Paula Gardner, Jude Murphy.

Fri 26: ???

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 27: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 28: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Jason Holcomb & co.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. adv.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Lil Miss Mary & the Mr Rights Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. ‘Early NYE Bash’. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues.
Wed 31: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. ‘Midnight in Manhattan’ NYE party. £49.46 (inc. bf) & £29.38 (inc. bf).

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

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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