Album review: Susan Krebs with Mixed Remotions – Daybreak

Susan Krebs (vocals); Rich Eames (piano); Jerry Kalaf (drums, vibes); Domenic Genova (bass); Scott Breadman (percussion); Riner Scivally (guitar); Rob Lockart (woodwinds 1,2,5,6,7) Doug Walter (woodwinds 3,4)

This is the eighth album from Ms Krebs, a fine and experienced singer, who gathered a band of experienced and skilled musicians together to make music to combat the isolation of the pandemic. Most of the recording was done remotely, though that is hard to believe because the music has a feeling of immediacy.

Tonight at the Prohibition Bar - Knats

Good to see more and more jazz-influenced younger bands appearing on the scene and tonight, at Pink Lane's Prohibition Bar promises to be by one of the best. 

Knats impressed at The Globe as well as at an outdoor gig in Hexham. Four excellent young musicians who are making waves - Ferg Kilsby (trumpet); Josh Mitchell-Rayner (keyboards); Stan Woodward (bass); King David Ike-Elechi (drums) - are well worth checking out.

Take this opportunity to see the future in advance.

It's a jar on the bar gig so pay what you feel it's worth. First set 8:00pm - Lance

Pee Wee Ellis (1941 - Sept. 24, 2021)

The funkiest, most soulful tenor sax player on the planet has left us. Pee Wee Ellis died yesterday (Sept. 24) aged 80.

The world may remember him as one of the linchpins of the James Brown Orchestra in the 1960s as well as with other icons such as Van Morrison and the JB Horns but what I remember most vividly was seeing him live at Sage Gateshead with a band called Pork Chop and a few years later at Hoochie Coochie with the strangely titled Federation of the Disco Pimp. That was quite a night to remember - one of Hoochie's best which is high praise indeed.

A big man with a big sound who will leave a big gap in soul circles.

Sadly missed - Lance

More.

Jazz Information (September 1939 - November 1941)

Whether by accident or intent, Jazz Information published its first four page issue during the same week that the Second World War began and ceased publication in the month prior to Pearl Harbour.

In between those two momentous events Jazz Information, which could be seen as the blog of its day, published a weekly magazine printed in the backroom of the legendary New York record store, the Commodore Music Shop.

Sue Ferris Quintet @ The Gala Theatre, Durham - Sept. 24

Sue Ferris Quintet (tenor sax, baritone sax, flute); Graham Hardy (trumpet); Stu Collingwood (piano); Neil Harland (double bass); Rob Walker (drums)

The Gala Theatre's lunchtime concert series resumed a couple of months ago. Due to social distancing concerns the events took place in the venue's main theatre. Today it was back to how it used to be as a near capacity audience filed into the Gala's studio space to listen to the Sue Ferris Quintet. 

One change to the established line-up introduced pianist Stu Collingwood. The SF5 kicked off with Ellington's Just Squeeze Me. In the absence of a PA system, Ferris and co played it old school: the horns - Ferris, tenor sax and one number on baritone, Graham Hardy, trumpet - projecting to all four corners of the room, the familiar bass and drums combo of Neil Harland and Rob Walker providing a secure foundation.   

Perdido Street Jazzmen @ Darlington Market Place - Sept. 24

Frank Brooker (clarinet, tenor sax, vocals); Eugene Farrar (trombone, vocals); Brian Bennett (banjo); Phil Rutherford (sousaphone) 

I Can't Give You Anything But Love on a beautiful sunny September morning. Yes, morning! Darlington Borough Council continues to support cultural events as we slowly emerge from the dark days of the pandemic and this early bird session presented an on-street session by the Perdido Street Jazzmen. 

Album review: Matthew Stevens - Pittsburgh

(Press release)

He may not have known it before, but Toronto-born, New York-based guitarist Matthew Stevens, prized for his forceful, distinctive electric sound on Esperanza Spalding’s groundbreaking “Emily’s D+Evolution”, “Exposure” and the GRAMMY-winning 1’2 Little Spell’s, was an ideal candidate to make an album fully devoted to solo acoustic guitar: the intimate, unadorned, straightforwardly titled Pittsburgh.

Stevens’ previous two outings, Woodwork (2015) and Preverbal (2017), made use of steel-string acoustic as a vibrant textural contrast, notably on “Brothers” and “Our Reunion” (featuring Spalding as guest and co-composer). Still, a solo acoustic album seemed to Stevens like a ‘maybe someday’ prospect, if that. Then came the convergence of two major events — the COVID-19 pandemic and a fractured elbow.

Preview: Sue Ferris Quintet @ The Gala Theatre - tomorrow (Friday 24)

Multi reeds virtuoso Sue Ferris returns to Durham's Gala Theatre at lunchtime tomorrow. County Durham based Sue covers the reeds' waterfront. From small group to big band and everything in between, Sue never fails to impress. From Gerry Richardson's Big Idea to Musicians Unlimited, it's difficult to say which is Sue's best instrument. Tenor sax? She'll stand her ground with anyone. Baritone sax? Few, if any, can hold a candle. And then there's Sue playing flute, 'exceptional' is the word. 

Album review: Chet Doxas – You Can’t Take It With You

Chet Doxas (sax); Ethan Iverson (piano); Thomas Morgan (bass)

This CD arrived on the day that the government announced an increase in National Insurance to pay for social care in the UK. We now have the threat of fuel price rises and the end of the Universal Credit uplift. Not only can you not take it with you, you might not have it for very long in the first place!!

I hadn’t heard of Chet Doxas or Thomas Morgan before this CD, though I knew Iverson from his playing with The Bad Plus, a self-proclaimed ‘power trio.’ This is a drummer less group that creates space and the instruments can float, unanchored, between each other. The lack of the drummer seems to make the listener lean in that much closer, though that’s partly the result of some soft playing as well. The standard of composition and playing is such that you want to catch all of what’s going on. Closer listening is rewarded.

Dave Weisser's Birthday Party - The music. Sept. 22

(Pic by Russell)

David Gray (trombone, vocal); Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Trombonist Gray is probably the coolest looking dude in the jazz world although his actual playing is hotter than the hobs of hell. In the course of a solo he can cover just about the whole history of jazz trombone from Kid Ory to Roswell Rudd and beyond - way beyond.

He demonstrated that tonight with his individual take on classics such as Autumn Leaves, and Beatrice as well as an original titled Silver Orcas which is about killer whales. Talking of killers, Erroll Garner's Misty contained one of the evening's many surprises - a David Gray vocal! The boy done good and it will be interesting to chart his progress in this direction.

Of course this wasn't a one man show. With the tried and tested talents of Stu, Paul and Abbie alongside him it was a very tight unit.

Happy Birthday Dave Weisser

Dave Weisser - the man is a legend! Over the years he has nurtured and provided the inspiration for many young and not so young musicians to find their way in the jungle we call jazz. He's done this, not just by his distinctive singing and trumpet playing, but also via the platform he's provided over the years for embryonic musicians to test and develop their burgeoning skills alongside seasoned players.

Alex Clarke Quartet @ The Railway, Stockport - Sept. 21

Alex Clarke (tenor sax); Paul Hartley (guitar); Pete Hartley (bass guitar); Phil Bennett (drums) 

On Tuesday evening if you wanted to hear some live Jazz, you had a choice of three events within a radius of ten miles in the Greater Manchester area. I decided to visit my usual jazz spot the Railway to check out the Alex Clarke Quartet.  I’ve seen Alex before, but only when she was sitting in at Wilmslow Jazz Club with musicians such as Gilad Altzman, Alan Barnes and Greg Abate. I also recall an afternoon at one of Malcolm Frazer’s house parties when she sat in with Harry Allen.  She does not lack confidence!    

Jazz on film & television

Tonight (Wednesday 22) at 11:15pm on BBC 2 there is another chance to see Damien Chazelle's 2014 film Whiplash about a student drummer (Miles Teller) and his intimidating tutor (JK Simmons). It makes for compulsive viewing! On Friday evening at Hexham's Forum Cinema there is a screening of Jazz on a Summer's Day (see photo of the film poster advertising the classic movie, taken through the Forum's locked doors on a sunny autumnal day). After the film, make your way through to the cafe bar to catch a set by Swing Bridge Trio. Russell