The Champ

When I first started listening to jazz and going to gigs there were two distinct themes. If it was a New Orleans outfit such as The Saints Jazz Band (remember the name) from Manchester you could guarantee that, sometime during the evening, they would play, as their fans demanded and insisted upon, When the Saints Go Marching in. Often more than once.

Jazz on the Tyne – What’s On, Easter 2023

In the latest edition of the podcast, presenter Colin Muirhead will preview local gigs featuring Abbie Finn, Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion, Me Lost Me, Ceitidh Mac, Heather Ferrier, Stu Collingwood, Dean Stockdale, Ian Shaw, and Emma Fisk's Hot Club du Nord.  He’ll also play music by Nguyên Lê, Deidre Cartwright, and Tina May/Nikki Iles/Tony Coe.

2023 Cheltenham Jazz Festival Programme details announced

(Press release) Cheltenham Jazz Festival will return in four weeks with a broad programme featuring over 50 concerts from an eclectic mix of established stars and pioneering emerging talent. Details/tickets HERE.

Album Review: Ella & The Bossa Beat - In The Moment

Ella Borges (vocals, piano/keyboard, bass); Magrus Borges (drums, percussion); Jonathan Dills (cello); Kim Freitas (acoustic guitar); Alain Bradette, Rodrigo Sha (saxophone); Greg Little, Larry Williams (trumpet); Ruvit Bracho (violin); 

I'll simply quote from the publicity information which accompanies this album and sums it up neatly: 'In The Moment is an album comprised of nine original songs composed by Ella & The Bossa Beat, sung in both English and Portuguese. It features a deep resource of talented musicians from around the world, including Brazil, Canada, and the United States. The style of the album possesses a mixture of Brazilian music and rhythms, with contemporary and soulful melodies, with jazz harmonies.'

Preview: The Foo Birds to play Little Buildings, Newcastle (April 16)

The Foo Birds are coming to Newcastle! Erstwhile regulars at Edinburgh's Jazz Bar, the five-piece outfit, with a common appreciation of Miles Davis and the Red Hot Chili Peppers and much else in between, could best be described as 'nu-soul/r & b'. Formerly members of the Edinburgh University Jazz Orchestra, the band will be at Little Buildings down in the Ouseburn on Sunday 16 April. Now based in London, an eight date tour is on the horizon, starting out, rather neatly, at the Jazz Bar in at Edinburgh. A couple of nights later it's Newcastle and Peggy's Skylight in Nottingham is on the itinerary before the band returns to London to close out the tour.  

STOP PRESS! Extra tickets released for Lewis Watson!

Tomorrow (Friday, 31 March) it's the Lewis Watson Quartet at Bishop Auckland Town Hall. The lunchtime concert sold out sometime ago. However, due to phenomenal demand, the gig has been moved from the first floor cafe into the adjoining theatre. One of the foremost tenor saxophonists of his generation, Lewis will be joined by Mark Williams, guitar, Mick Shoulder, double bass, and drummer John Bradford. Don't hesitate, book now at: 

www.bishopaucklandtownhall.org.uk Russell  

Album review: Richard Jones Trio - Angle Shades

Richard Jones (piano); Joshua Cavanagh-Brierley (bass); Johnny Hunter (drums)

Johnny Hunter is a well known visitor to Newcastle having played on many JNE gigs in recent years so it came as no surprise that one of his two compositions on Angle Shades is titled Thursday Afternoon in Newcastle (the other has an equally enigmatic and unexplained title 350 Million Herring.

Richard Jones provided three of his own: Eye's Regret; K.H and Mr. Relaxed whilst Cavanagh-Brierley pitched in with Some Mat. 

The Best Bass Players of All Time

Logging onto the all-knowing eye in the corner of the room this morning I was caught by a clickbait headline, namely, The best bass players of all time according to Rolling Stone. Well, I thought, It’s got to be more credible than if it was a Smash Hits poll so I clicked through and the top ten were revealed as: -

Preview: Frank Sinatra Night - Saturday (April 1)

BBC 2 devotes much of Saturday evening to Frank Sinatra. From 7:35pm it's non-stop Sinatra all the way through to gone midnight. 

Frank Sinatra: a Man and His Music + Ella + Jobim (7:35pm) is a TV special from 1967 in which Sinatra is joined by Ella Fitzgerald and Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Paul Hartley Quartet featuring Alex Clarke @ the Railway Stockport - March 28

(© Jeff Pritchard)

Paul Hartley (guitar); Alex Clarke (alto sax/tenor sax); Peter Hartley (bass); Dave Walsh (drums).

Most of the tunes played tonight were ones that have been played at this venue many times apart from I’ve Never Been in Love Before, a great number written by Frank Loesser for the hit show Guys and Dolls in 1950. I think I’ve heard Cannonball Adderley play this on record or maybe it was Phil Woods.  Tuesday nights usually attract a good sized crowd and they got to hear the rest of Alex’s selection which included tunes by Clifford Brown, Bob Haggart, Naceo Herb Brown, Carlos Jobim, Jerome Kern, Hoagy Carmichael, and Sonny Rollins.