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HOWAY THE LADS!

Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: Pearl Blossoms @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime.
Sun 16: Hot 8 Brass Band @ Wylam Brewery. 7:30pm. ‘Big Tuba Tour’.
Sun 16: ARQ @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Air4ce @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:30pm (8:00pm doors). £12.00.; £10.00. Tom Atkinson’s all-star band (line-up inc. Lindsay Hannon & Sue Ferris).
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: Jamie Toms Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.
Tue 18: Phil Bancroft’s Beautiful Storm @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20 & £11.00.. A JNE-Gem Arts co-promotion.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

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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