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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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

Friday, September 06, 2024

Album review: Joel Frahm Trio - Lumination (Anzic Records)

Joel Frahm (tenor sax); Dan Loomis (bass); Ernesto Cervini (drums)

When the word got out that the Joel Frahm Trio was embarking on a European tour with stops off in the UK at Eastleigh, London and Leeds I knew this would be worth dusting off my Senior Railcard for.

However, first things first, the raison d'être for the tour is Joel Frahm's latest album, Lumination, due for release next month. I'm listening to it as I type and it's an exhilarating experience.


Sonny Rollins set the benchmark by which pianoless, tenor sax led trios are judged and since then there seems to have been one on every block. However, few have met the criteria with as much aplomb as the Frahm Trio. At times, particularly on the uptempo numbers, the tenor player has a sound vaguely reminiscent of Dexter Gordon and, like Dexter, Frahm is not averse to slotting in a quote or two without losing momentum. A fast thinking, fast fingered player I got the impression that no matter how many notes he plays, and he usually plays plenty, each one is important.

Of course, although playing without chordal support gives you unfettered freedom it also takes away your safety net. This is the musical equivalent  of walking across Niagara on a tightrope. He doesn't get wet!

On bass Loomis is equally important. His solos offer contrast, picking up from Frahm without loss of tension. He is something else!

Meanwhile, à la batterie, Ernesto Cervini is, as always, the life and soul of the party. Driving with the sticks, simpatico with the brushes, Ernesto also composed the opener, The Nurse is in, designed the cover and, via his PR company Orange Grove Publicity, organised the tour. Some of the bass and drums exchanges are master classes for any rhythm section although in this trio, rhythm section, implying a them and us scenario, isn't really correct. This is a one for all, all for one, unit.

Now I'm going to listen again and count the days until I hear them live at Seven Arts, Leeds on Thursday Oct. 3. Lance   

The Nurse is in; Disco Nern; Loomie Nation; Moonface Lament; Loo-Lee; False Spring; Kern You Dig It; Na Estrada; Vesper Flights; Catch 22

European Tour
Saturday, September 28 - Herr Nilsen (Oslo, Norway)
Sunday, September 29 - Bimhuis (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Monday, September 30 - Masterclass @ the Guildhall School (London, UK)
Monday, September 30 - Pizza Express (London, UK)
Tuesday, October 1 - The Moldy Fig (Eastleigh, UK)
Thursday, October 3 - Seven Arts Leeds (Leeds, UK)

Friday, October 4 - Salon de Jazz (Cologne, Germany)
Saturday, October 5 - Jazz in der Mitte (Reutlingen, Germany)
Sunday, October 6 - Neimënster (Luxembourg City, Luxembourg)

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

If the jazz is as good as the album cover it'll be worth buying!

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