Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat 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

18982 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 846 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 8.) 25.

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

October.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 4:45pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: NW FRQNC @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. Selina Albright, Gianni Vancini.
Wed 14: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 15: Leah Kirk: A Strange Affair @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Leah Kirk (vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 15: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. PJO w. guest Graham Hardy (trumpet).

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Ancient Infinity Orchestra @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 16: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £13.01. adv.; £15.00. on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick. 8:00pm. Free.

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Album review: Harry Skoler - Echoes (Red Brick Hill)

Harry Skoler (clarinet); Bill Frisell (guitar); Dezron Douglas (bass); Johnathan Blake (drums)

Of all the instruments in the jazz pantheon, apart from when wielded by Pee Wee Russell or Sidney Bechet, in my opinion the clarinet has the purist sound of all. Harry Skoler goes some way - some not all - to validate my opinion. Skoler tailors his sound according to the subject matter thus his portrait of Marian (McPartland) is different to that of Rahsaan Roland Kirk in Everything's Cool, Everything's Cool!.

As the more perceptive of you may have gathered most of Skoler's compositions echo his memories of musicians who have influenced him over the years: Teddy Wilson; Rahsaan Roland Kirk; Benny Goodman; Marian McPartland; Bill Evans; Jimmy Giuffre; Lionel Hampton; Miles Davis and James Williams - who?

Williams played piano with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers at the same time as Wynton Marsalis. Skoler met Williams in a Boston burger bar when he was at Berklee. Eighteen year old at the time Skoler admits he'd never heard of Art Blakey. Williams put him straight.

Whilst I must confess that in a blindfold test I'd be unable to make a connection between the composition and the inspiration, not even an educated guess, Echoes is still a step forward in contemporary jazz clarinet playing.

In Frisell he has a sympathetic running mate who, apart from his contributions to the main compositions, has a delightful mini feature on Reminiscence, one of three short, non-dedicated tracks by Walter Smith III.

Blake's drumming is, at times, overpowering but still very effective. Douglas provides the pulse that keeps the rhythm gently flowing.

Skoler's muse isn't that of Shaw or Goodman even though it was hearing Benny live that planted the seed for his future. It was Jimmy Giuffre who nurtured that seed and watched it grow.

An album that will make many rethink their thoughts on clarinets. Lance

Evocation*; Study in Orange; JW. Michelangelo & the 40 Cent Burger; Everything's Cool, Everything's Cool!; Marian; Reminiscence*; Thank You; Waiting Patiently; Counterpart; Sea of Feeling; POW!; Overtone; Never Played in Syracuse; Allusion*
*Composed by Walter Smith III
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