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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

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

Thursday, September 26, 2024

Album review: John Donegan, the Irish Sextet w. guest Hugh Buckley - We Will Meet Again, Sometime (Jayde Records)

John Donegan (piano, composer); Michael Buckley (alto/soprano sax, flute); Richie Buckley (tenor sax); Linley Hamilton (trumpet, flugel); Dan Bodwell (bass); John Daly (drums) + Hugh Buckley (guitar)

From the opening bars of the first track I said to myself (yes I do talk to myself!) "I'm gonna like this album"!

Blues For a Few Bucks  has a double meaning, it also refers to the fact that the band includes three members of the Buckley family with guitarist Hugh joining his cousins Michael and Richie. It's a bop influenced blues with solos all round apart from bass and drums who lay down a solid, but not rigid, foundation. 

Like One Moment, an introspective piece with piano and guitar perhaps recalling some past memory. Punctuations from the horns stop it from becoming over-sentimental.

I'm Just Nearby features flute and is based on an overheard conversation. Delicate and probing, maybe Donegan's experiencing guilt at his earwigging.

By the Waters of Glencar was immortalised in verse by the poet W.B. Yeats. The locale is beautiful, the poem likewise and Donegan's solo piano rendition adds his own magic to make the portrait complete.

Rendezvous kicks off in 3/4 then goes into 4/4 for solos from piano, tenor, alto, trumpet and bass before returning back to 3/4. 

We Will Meet Again, Sometime suggests that this won't be the last time they record together. Richie is featured on tenor with a lyrical chorus from Bodwell on bass.

Edgy Moments has a few twists and turns - a bit like the background music to a movie car chase down Les Champs Élysées or maybe O'Connell St. except that, in this case, the car chase would be the background to the music. More gutsy sax soloing.

La Vita e Bella. A themeless improvisation based on a couple of chord sequences. Donegan lets his fingers do the walking. Maybe he didn't know where he was going when he set off but it was a journey of tranquil beauty all the way.

Round and About. A circular theme with piano intro leading into the head and solos by trumpet, tenor and alto followed by a round or two of fours before bringing it home safe and sound.

A Ballad For Louis. No guesses as to who Louis is - Louis Stewart, Ireland's greatest export and that includes Guinness. Fittingly, Hugh is given the first solo and he does Louis proud. Cousins Michael and Richie keep it in the Buckley family. Very emotive.

Little Miss Cleo, written for his youngest grandchild, born December 2023, it's a swinger and I bet she will be too! 

Quick Now lives up to the title with an upbeat groove that has the horns taking advantage of a chart that is absolutely begging to be blown. La noblesse oblige.

Loved every minute of it. Lance.

Available October 2024.

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