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

18482 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 346 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 30 ) 80

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

May

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). SOLD OUT!
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. 4:00-6:00pm. 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.

Thu 07: Robert Finley @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50. Excellent US falsetto soul/blues voice.
Thu 07: ALT @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Rob Walker. Thu 07: Liam & Shayo @ The Globe , Newcastle. 8:00pm. £5.00. Liam Oliver (guitar), Shayo Oshodi (vocals).
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 08: Alan Law Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Law, Mick Shoulder, John Bradford.
Fri 08: Giles Strong & Richard Herdman @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Guitar duo.
Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 6:00pm . Free. A Late Shows event.
Fri 08: Nigel Kennedy @ The Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Line-up inc. Alec Dankworth.

Sat 09: SH#RP Collective w. Lindsay Hannon @ Church of Holy Name, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00 (inc. a welcome drink). Advance booking essential. Bring own snacks, drinks to be purchased at ‘donations’ bar. All proceeds to charity. A Jesmond Community Festival event.
Sat 09: East Coast Swing Band @ Jubilee Hall, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £10.00.

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Album review: Nancy Harrow w. Buck Clayton's Jazz Stars Wild Women Don't Have The Blues (Exceleration Music)

Nancy Harrow (vocals); Buck Clayton (trumpet, arrangements); Dickie Wells (trombone); Tommy Gwaltney (clarinet, alto sax); Buddy Tate (tenor sax); Danny Banks (baritone sax); Dick Wellstood (piano); Kenny Burrell (guitar); Milt Hinton (bass); Oliver Jackson (drums)

I noticed in the current issue of Jazzwise that Alyn Shipton reviews a reissue of Nancy Harrow's 1960 recording with Buck Clayton's Jazz Stars - Wild Women Don't Have The Blues. Alyn awards the album four stars and justifiably so.

Originally recorded for the Candid label, this reissue is on vinyl and released by Exceleration Music who took over Candid and several other jazz related labels including Mack Avenue (DETAILS).

I didn't receive a review copy but that didn't matter as I've treasured the original recording ever since it was 'compacted'. Great singer, great band, great arrangements and great tunes.

Take me Back Baby. Count Basie and Jimmy Rushing wrote this for the old Basie band and with the soloists: Tate, Clayton and Wells all being Basie Alumni and Kenny Burrell playing rhythm guitar á la Freddie Green, Basie lives and the scene is set for 'Mama' Harrow to make her entrance. A very individual voice with a hint of Billie, Helen Humes, Maxine and Ivie Anderson - but only just a hint.
All Too Soon. By association, Ivy springs to mind but it's Harrow's baby. Gwaltney takes one on clarinet followed by Wells' distinctive sound full of slurs and slurps and his own brand of slideology. Clayton blows muted behind the vocal. 
Can't We Be Friends? Tate has a nice big fat solo followed by Wellstood and some tasty guitar from Burrell.  Clayton too is in there pitching along with Harrow's vocal - which is as much a musical story as it is a song. Only the greats can pull off something like that and our girl (who was still recording in 2024 at the age of 94) does just that.
On the Sunny Side of the Street. An uptempo romp. Buck tightly muted, Burrell releasing some dazzling single string flurries, swinging piano from Wellstead and, of course, a great vocal.
Wild Women Don't Have the Blues. The title track, composed and recorded by Ida Cox in 1924 is effectively revived by Harrow along with open horn from Buck, clarinet from Gwaltney and blues piano from Wellstood. 
I've Got the World on a String. More imaginative singing, trombone by Wells, Gwaltney on alto this time and another masterclass in arranging by Clayton.
I Don't Know What Kind of Blues I've Got. Duke's composition is given an Ellingtonian feel beginning with some Carneyesque baritone from Banks. The horns have the harmonic depth that the number demands and Harrow does justice to the lyric.
Blues For Yesterday. Composed by blues pianist Leroy Carr and subsequently recorded by Louis Armstrong, a powerful Clayton solo leads into more distinctive blues singing by Harrow. The underrated Gwaltney on clarinet, Wellstood on piano and Tate, arguably the most blues-orientated of the horns, captures the mood as indeed does Nancy Harrow - the reigning Empress of the Blues! Lance
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