Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 742 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 4.) 21.

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

September.

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club. 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 09: NONUNONU @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE. Excellent trio.

Thu 10: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 10: Jacenaite All Crew @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 10: Emma Rawicz INKYRA @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.30. Sage Two. Line-up: Emma Rawicz (sax); Scottie Thompson (piano, keyboards, synth); David Preston (guitar); Kevin Glasgow (bass guitar); Jack Thomas (drums).

Fri 11: Esther Bennett @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £10.00. Esther Bennett (vocals); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass).
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £14.09 (inc. bf).

Sat 12: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 12: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26 (inc. bf).

Sun 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: King Bees @ Shape Patisserie, Darlington. 3:00pm. Free. Duo (Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor). A Rhythm & Blues Fringe event. Blues excellence.
Sun 13: Alligator Gumbo @ The Cluny. 5:00pm. £17.15.; £11.43; £5.72.
Sun 13: Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Sunday, August 24, 2025

Album review: Paul Harrison - Encontros (Harriphonic)

Paul Harrison (piano, melodica, synth.); Mario Caribé (bass, cavaquinho); Stuart Brown (drums, perc.) + Edmundo Carneiro (perc. 3-7,9,10); Laura Macdonald (alto sax 2,5,8); Rachel Lightbody (vocals 4,7,9); Fraser Fifield (low D whistle 7); Su-A Lee (cello 5,10)

A tribute to Egberto Gismonti, the renowned Brazilian composer who provided the material for ten of the eleven tracks.

The music is built upon the core trio of Harrison, Caribé and Brown with extra dimensions and colour supplied on various tracks by alto saxist Laura  Macdonald (Palhaço, Meninas, O Sonho); vocalist Rachel Lightbody (Lôro, Bianca, Illuminado); Cellist Su-A Lee (Meninas, Sete Aneis) and Fraser Fifield who blows a low D whistle on Bianca. Edmundo Carneiro not only provides authentic Latin percussion on seven of the tracks but also combines with Harrison to compose Transition.

On Karatê Harrison switches from  piano to melodica and shows the same dexterity as he does on a conventional keyboard.

In the blurb Harrison is quoted as saying that he decided to explore Gismonti's music because it offered so much more than just sambas and bossas. Sometimes there's a pastoral feeling about the music suggesting it's siesta time. At other times the siesta becomes the fiesta and nobody can party like Brazilians do at a carnival in Rio (or so I've been told!).

Not only that but there's also just a suggestion of Harrison's own Scottish heritage and the great man himself - Egberto Gismonti - upon hearing the album said: "...it has humour, has grace, has freedom to play.".

I'll second that Lance.

Release date: Sept. 5.

Ano ZeroPalhaço; Transition; Lôro; Meninas; Karatê; Bianca; O Sonho; Illuminado; Sete Aneis; A Fala Da Paixão

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