CD Review: Jason Palmer - The Concert, 12 Musings for Isabella

Jason Palmer (trumpet); Mark Turner (tenor sax); Joel Ross (vibes); Edward Perez (bass); Kendrick  Scott (drums).

(Review by Lance).

I can think of few, if any, albums that have had such an inspiration as this one. Musically, it is supurb but the background to it is equally fascinating!

On March 18, 1990, a couple of low lifes disguised as cops entered Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and walked out with 13 works of art by such A-listers as Rembrandt, Degas, Manet and others. The heist was valued at 500 million bucks and, despite the efforts of the FBI, Mike Hammer and Hercule Poirot, the crime remains unsolved to this day.

Get The Blessing + Ceitidh Mac @ Gosforth Civic Theatre – Feb. 7 (Take 2)

(Review by Tom Dixon/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew)

Get The Blessing: Jim Barr (bass guitar); Clive Deamer (drums); Jake McMurchie (sax and electronics); Pete Judge (trumpet and electronics).

Great melodies and a driving intensity, Get The Blessing did not disappoint. They maintained the energy and groove of their trip-counterparts (Portishead) without sacrificing on the integrity of the improvised sections. I've seen 'fusion' acts experiment with this type of approach before and fall on the wrong side of repetitive for me, but this performance was full of spontaneity and intrigue.

Clive Dreamer has a fairly busy drumming style which gave the soloists plenty to work with, but still kept the time really nailed down and, with Jim Barr, really pushed the band forward through every piece. The creative use of backings and effects pedals from the sax and trumpet more than made up for the lack of a traditional harmony instrument and continuously took the music in surprising directions. I really liked the weaving horn ad-libs which were scattered through the night.

Tonight! Finn at the Fox (Feb 18)

Hexham Jazz Club's first gig of the year features the Abbie Finn Trio. Drummer Abbie will be in the company of saxophonist Harry Keeble and bassist Paul Grainger playing two sets of modern jazz standards by the likes of Joe Henderson and Wayne Shorter with, perhaps, one or two original numbers.  

CD Review: Jeff Rupert & George Garzone - The Ripple.

Jeff Rupert, George Garzone (tenor sax); Richard Drexler (piano); Jeremy Allen (bass); Marty Morell (drums).

(Review by Lance).

The two tenor line-up has long been a favourite of mine. How could it not be when you think of such legendary pairings as Wardell Gray & Dexter Gordon; Gene Ammons & Sonny Stitt; Sonny Stitt & Red Holloway - so amply demonstrated back at Newcastle's Corner House in the 1980s - Lockjaw and Johnny Griffin; Al and Zoot and, of course, the best of them all (said with nationalistic pride) The Jazz Couriers. Tubbs and Ronnie took the format to a new level and, if this  Stateside offering doesn't topple the champions they come within the tip of a Rico number 2 reed of doing it!

Danny Jonokuchi with Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Flat Caps Coffee, Carliol Square, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

(Press release)

Friday 13^th March | 8pm

Tickets at www.strictly-smokin.co.uk

Famed New York and LA band leader, trumpet player, vocalist and arranger, DANNY JONOKUCHI, visits the North East for a one-off gig with STRICTLY SMOKIN’ BIG BAND. We’ve featured Danny’s arrangements at SSBB for a few years now, and are very excited to hook up for this gig.

Danny Jonokuchi has been called a world class performer and the “sound of this era” (Nextbop).

This music swings from start to finish – Danny’s arrangements are fresh but hold true to the New York big band tradition – think Birdland, Village Vanguard and Blue Note.

We’ll be featuring Danny on trumpet and vocals, as well as our own Alice Grace and members of Strictly Smokin’.

John Petters Remembers Louis Lince (1942 - 2020)

(This obituary was originally posted on Facebook and is reposted courtesy of the author. Thanks to Patti Durham for making this possible - Lance.) It is with great sorrow that the jazz scene heard of the passing of Banjo / Guitarist, Bass Drummer, Parade Marshall, Band Leader, Reviewer, Jazz Historian and Publisher Louis Lince, following a rapidly growing brain tumour, diagnosed just after Christmas. (photo - Ray & Jenny Knight) Louis (John Louis James Lince) came into the world on 22 July 1942 in St. Helens, Lancashire. Like many of his generation, he started out in a Skiffle Group – the Red Devils. Louis came south to London in 1958, working with several bands before leaving music in 1963 to concentrate on a career in Marketing.

Get the Blessing and Ceitidh Mac @ Gosforth Civic Theatre - Feb. 7

In the absence of any reviews from this JNE concert I have opted for these two picture collages by Ken Drew and his own one-liner review which probably paints a better picture than a 1000 word review - "It was a belter!"

Lance

Get The Blessing: Jim Barr (bass guitar); Clive Deamer (drums); Jake McMurchie (sax/electronics); Pete Judge (trumpet/electronics).

Ceitdh Mac: Ceitidh Mac (voice/cello)

Link to Ken Drew pics.

Clare Teal @ the Gala Theatre, Durham - Feb. 14

Clare Teal (vocal); Jason Rebello (piano); Tim Thornton (bass); Ben Reynolds (drums).

(Review by Lance)

After the final do-wa-do-wa-do-wa brought the classic Ellington number - and the show -  to a close the capacity audience at Durham's Gala Theatre stood up as one and ovated in appreciation. Deservedly so, Clare Teal had just wowed them as she invariably does with her warm and, often funny, show.

I use the word funny as, should she - God forbid - ever give up music a  career in stand-up would pay the bills. Not that that is likely, after last night's performance. Her jazz chops are still the tops even though Barnsley's First Lady appears to be dipping her toes into more contemporary material.

Good on her! However, whatever she touches the jazz element is never far away.

What to Expect – Except Brilliant? Graeme Wilson and Paul Edis play the music of Monk @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle – Feb. 14.

Graeme Wilson (tenor sax); Paul Edis (piano)

(Review by Jerry)

Fifteen years ago I knew the name, Thelonius Monk, but little else. I was intrigued by an early Edis composition, I Wish I Were a Monk, from which I learned that this is very distinctive music which never fails to elicit strong audience response. In my case, it always made me smile. When I first heard Paul playing ‘Round Midnight, I realised that I knew one of Monk’s tunes but could not have told you that. Zoë Gilby’s excellent show, Pannonica, progressed my learning curve somewhat but as of this morning (I checked!) I still only needed the fingers of one hand to list the Monk titles I could remember. None of my memorable five were on today’s programme so I had no idea what to expect – except that, having often seen these two musicians over the same fifteen-year period, it would be brilliantly played.