Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone - August 9

Ray Harley (trumpet); Jim McBriarty (clarinet, alto sax, vocals); Lawrence McBriarty (trombone); Brian Bennett (banjo, guitar); Bill Colledge (bass guitar); Fred Thompson (drums, vocals) + John Broddle (vocals); Herbie Hudson (trombone, harmonica, vocals)

What a contrast! Last week it was in the mid twenties, today the top temperature in Holystone must have been fully ten degrees lower. Taking the wind chill factor into account it was positively autumnal. Gone were the shorts and straw boaters as the band huddled together, in a socially distanced kind of way, under an awning which, a week ago, offered welcome relief from a burning sun, this afternoon it acted as a windbreaker.

Jordan Alfonso and the Alan Law Trio, celebrating the Charlie Parker Centennial with a Jazz Coop Livestream on Sept. 6

To say that our local jazz promoters have been somewhat slow in celebrating the centennial of one of jazz's greatest and most iconic figures would be putting it mildly.

Obviously, the current climate precludes live gigs nevertheless, livestreaming is possible and, in this respect, the Jazz Coop leads the way, as it so often does, and - even though a week late as regards the actual date of the magical 100 figure - they have set up a gig featuring an alto saxist and a trio more than capable of doing "Bird". Imagine a tribute to Charlie Parker without an alto sax player! - "Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark" is the much used phrase that springs to mind!

In this case, the Prince of Denmark is Jordan Alfonso. To be or not to be is no longer a question and with Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Rob Walker (drums) Bird truly will live!

Lance

RIP Brian Whittle.

Lewis Watson sent me the sad news that well known northeast reeds player and teacher has passed on. I'm sure there must be many musicians with fond memories of this great musician who would like to share them with us - Lance

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My old friend and teacher Brian Whittle died on 11th August in hospital in Spain, I hope this posting is seen by some of the many people that studied and worked with Brian over many years, a wonderful Alto player, much loved and respected by all who were fortunate to know him.  Rip.Brian

Lewis Watson

I'll swap you a Led Bib for a John Etheridge ...

By coincidence, following on from my enthusiastic review of Allison Neale's forthcoming album, I came across a Jazz North East card advertising a 2007 gig by Allison at the Corner House in Newcastle.

I'd been using it as a bookmark - I've got taste in bookmarks as well as books!

Further investigation found that I had a total of 52 of these attractively designed items advertising JNE concerts along with related gigs by Schmazz @ the Cluny and Jazz Action. 

Glossy postcard sized with band info on the back of the card, they are like a modern jazz version of the old cigarette cards (I have a complete set of "Famous Cricketers") or, to be more contemporary, Pokémon cards (got none of those).

A bit of history in the making ...

Lance

COVID THE UNTOLD STORY

This, I must confess, is somewhat removed from our normal fare. There's more jazz in a cup of tea than there is here! However, it's entertaining, particularly if you live in the Jarrow area. Jess, the narrator who also presides over Jarrow's Gin & Alehouse has paid his dues gigging, kicking the gong around and encouraging folk to drink real ale in his pub without TV or jukebox (do pubs still have jukeboxes?) to interfere with intelligent (ish) conversation.

2020 British Jazz Awards Cancelled

(Press release)

It has been decided not to proceed with the 2020 British Jazz Awards planned for this Autumn.

The award is always based on a musician’s performances in the year in question. To make an award in a year which gave pitifully few opportunities for musicians to perform would be a mockery of the integrity of these well respected awards.

2020 will be the first time that the awards have not taken place in a history dating back to the launch, by Humphrey Lyttelton and Benny Green, in 1987.

For further information, please contact Jim Simpson on jim@bigbearmusic.com or phone 0121 454 7020.

RIP Pete Hamill

How much sadness can one endure in a lifetime? 99% of our heroes and, not far short of that %, many of our loved ones too have gone to join  Bird and Diz out there in the great beyond - and I don't mean Allendale. No, it's a fact of life that no one, apart from me, lives forever - am I tempting fate?

It was just last month that I posted an item about writer Pete Hamill. Nobody quite wrote about Sinatra like he did and he used that same subjective prose to write about fights, ball games and just about any other American activity irrespective of whether it pleased or displeased the authorities.

Gloria DeNard (1926 - 2020)

Chances are you've never  heard of Gloria DeNard. Don't feel embarrassed about it, neither had I and nor, I guess, had many this side of the East River until her obituary appeared in the New York Times. The name of her son, the drummer Kenwood Dennard (curiously spelled differently to that of his mother, the reason is explained in the NYT obituary) who has worked with many bands across the genres including Miles, Sting, Jaco and Gil Evans may be more familiar.

Press release: Newcastle Jazz Festival Online - August 15

After taking the hard decision to cancel Newcastle Jazz Festival at our venues around the city this year we’re very pleased to offer online events on Saturday 15^th August. We’ve compiled eight artists to take you through an afternoon of live music and discussion this Saturday. 

Album review: Falkner Evans - Marbles

Falkner Evans (piano/composer); Ron Horton (trumpet/flugel); Ted Nash (alto sax/clarinet/flute); Michael Blake (soprano/tenor sax); Beldon Bullock (bass); Matt Wilson (drums) + Steve Nelson (vibes on 3 tks).

What's not to like about this album of, all but one, original compositions by author William Faulkner's third cousin? It's delightful, the compositions are appealing, the solos are everything you'd expect from such a strong line-up - in other words, it's perfect.

JAZZ RE:FRESHED Refreshes JAZZ RE:FEST

(Press release)

10th AUGUST 2020 LONDON, ENGLAND Renowned music and arts organisation JAZZ RE:FRESHED will bring its annual festival JAZZ RE:FEST online this year, as part of a digital strategy to keep UK jazz thriving while venues are closed, and continuing to support musicians whose performance opportunities have dwindled as a result of the global pandemic.

Brought to you in association with MQA and Bluesound, JAZZ RE:FEST 2020 will be taking place between 5-9pm BST on Sunday 23rd August. The virtual showcase, held at The Mill studios behind closed doors, will be streamed on the Jazz re:freshed YouTube channel. The performances will also be broadcast, at the same time, in MQA studio-quality audio via Bluesound’s BluOS Controller app directly into the homes of Bluesound’s hi-res speaker owners. Owners of other BluOS Enabled devices from NAD Electronics, DALI Loudspeakers, and Monitor Audio, will also be able to enjoy the exclusive MQA audio stream through the BluOS Controller app. 

Livestream @ The Globe; Emma Fisk's Hot Club du Nord – August 9

Emma Fisk (violin); Bradley Johnston (guitar); David Harris (guitar); Bruce Rollo (bass).

‘My favourite Django number'

‘Can’t find the emoji for foot tapping'

‘All super solos and so crisp and together'

‘Brilliant! Really enjoyed your performance. Thank You’

And so the review is written for me by those who enthused in the comments box, and every word of it is true. A wonderful hour of lively, virtuoso music, danceable and romantic by turns. Many of the classics of gypsy jazz such as Coquette, Swing 42, Minor Swing; tunes such as Blue Drag (the drag was a popular dance of the 1920's); jazz songs such as Ain't Misbehavin'; It Had To Be You; Undecided …

Pianist releases a feel-good parcel

(Press release)

An eighteenth-century protest song is the inspiration behind Scottish pianist Dave Milligan’s catchy and deeply grooving download single, Parcel of Rogues, which is released today, Monday 10th August.

Such a Parcel of Rogues in a Nation is a poem attributed to Robert Burns in 1791 to decry the members of the Parliament of Scotland who signed the 1707 Act of Union with England. In the 1960s and 1970s it was taken up by political singers including Ewan MacColl and Dick Gaughan and the folk groups The Dubliners and Steeleye Span. More recently it has come to be regarded as an international anthem.

Celebrating Mamie Smith

The Blues Show on Radio 2 tonight (9:00pm) celebrates the 100th anniversary of what many consider to be the recording of the first blues record. Huey Morgan, sitting in for Cerys Matthews, takes a look at Mamie Smith and Her Jazz Hounds' recording of Crazy Blues on August 10, 1920. The OKeh session proved to be a great success (75,000 records sold in the first two months of its release) and helped pave the way for studio recordings by many African American female blues singers including Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith.  

Russell