Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18469 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 333 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 27 ) 67

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

April

Thu 30: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: International Jazz Day & JANE AGM.
Thu 30: Duke Junction @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Nadim Teimoori (tenor sax); Jeff Hewer (guitar); Martin Longhawn (organ); Steve Hanley (drums). An International Jazz Day event & the 12th anniversary of Newcastle Jazz Co-op acquiring the Globe!

May

Fri 01: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 01: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 01: Bede Wind Band + East Coast Swing Band @ Cullercoats Methodist Church. 7:30pm. £10.00. Tickets from: www.ticketsource.com, members of Bede Wind Band & at the door. Memorial concert for Anne-Marie Purvis, who was a member of both ensembles. All proceeds to Tiny Lives Trust.
Fri 01: Louis Louis Louis @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.

Sat 02: Midnite Follies Orchestra @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £20.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club. All-star line-up.
Sat 02: Knats Masterclass & Jam II @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 1:00-3:00pm. £15.00.
Sat 02: Shannon Pearl + John Pope & John Garner @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf. ‘Witch-pop’ + Pope & Garner.
Sat 02: Knats + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sat 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 03: Chilcott Jazz Mass @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 9:30am. Free. Sung communion with Parish Choir (featuring Bob Chilcott’s music). A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 03: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Mark Toomey (alto sax).
Sun 03: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: Tom Waits for No Man @ Oxygenic, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm (2:30pm doors). Neckties and Boxing Gloves album launch. £14.00 (gig & a CD); £8.00 (gig only).
Sun 03: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 03: John Pope & John Garner @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.

Mon 04: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Pete Tanton’s Cuban Heels @ The Library, South Parade, Whitley Bay. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 05: Leah Kirk (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 2:30pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jenny Baker (voice): Final Year Music Recital @ The Band Room, Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 4:20pm. Free, open to the public.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Saturday, September 14, 2024

Album review: Helena Debono & Charlie Bates - A Thousand Nights

When I say that there is room for improvement it has nothing to do with the music. Singer, band, soloists, arrangements are all excellent. No, my gripe is with the inside cover. The font size is so small you need 20-20 vision and perhaps some magnifying equipment from Jodrell Bank to read it.

However, now that I've got that off my chest I'll get down to the positives of which there is an abundance.

Both Helena and Charlie are alumni of NYJO and A Thousand Nights is a compelling collaboration between themselves, a big band packed with A-listers and a large orchestra, in a mix of standards and originals. 

I Could Have Danced All Night.  Band swinging like crazy with blistering alto from Marsh, trumpet by Walsh and all kicked along by Tomlinson. What a band! What a voice!

My Ideal. A beautiful take on the verse, sympathetic piano with the strings sawing away on the chorus. Cool Vice-Coles on trumpet (flugel?)

Honey. An original by the two leaders. Nice contemporary feel with some gutsy 'bone from Higham. Bass and voice gel with lots else going on behind.

A Thousand Nights. Another original from Bates & Debono. Muted trumpet from Walsh. Lyric and melody captivate. An arrangement worthy of Nelson. More piano from Charlie and an amazing vocal out-chorus from Helena.

Lullaby of Birdland. A strange arrangement with Davison growling like Cootie. In fact there is a Ducal feel to the chart, maybe a bit of Mingus, even Cab Calloway. I don't think it's quite what Shearing had in mind when he composed the piece but I'm not complaining!

I Swear. Another original. A lovely relaxed feel by both voice and piano if there's ever such a thing as the Contemporary British Songbook then this one's a frontrunner.

When. The gems keep rolling from the dynamic duo. A suggestion of big band rock with Fitch's opening blast, Blevins' sax solo and Tomlinson's offbeat driving it along.

Old Country. Nat Adderley and Curtis Lewis got together for this one and needless to say we had a trumpet solo - this time by Gorodi. Helena adds her voice to the sax chorus (I think).

The Nearness of You. Tender vocal over an orchestral accompaniment and some unexpected intervals by Helena that are spot-on. 

Think I'll be OK. I think so too! Laid back tenor from Maddock, this band is packed with soloists. Voice goes into a funkier mood.

Guess I'll Hang my Tears Out to Dry. The Sinatra/Riddle recording may be the definitive version but this one loses nothing by comparision - there's room for both.

A beautiful album, shame about the booklet. Maybe I should have gone to Specsavers first. Lance

Release date Oct. 11, 2024

Helena Debono (vocals, composer, producer); Charlie Bates (piano, composer, arranger, producer, orchestral conductor); Tom Walsh, James Davison, Luke Vice-Coles, Miguel Gorodi (trumpets); Tom Dunnett, Harry Maund*, Daniel Higham, Yusuf Norcin* (trombones); Simon Marsh, Tom Smith, Graeme Blevins, Tom Barford, Chris Maddock, Claire Shaw (reeds); Nick Fitch (guitar); Jack Tustin (bass); Luke Tomlinson (drums); Reuben Fowler (conductor) + circa 35 orchestral musicians.

* Not sure if I got the spelling right for their surnames
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