Jazz Latin Groove @ Empty Shop, Durham - May 7.

Steve Summers (saxes/perc); Alan Law (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Tim Johnston (dms) and Debra Milne .

I don’t know if anyone’s reviewing this for you Lance – I’m not the right person to do it, as I was too busy enjoying the music to be taking notes. What  I will say is .... OMG. Brilliant stuff. Superb, spirited musicianship (you know the lineup!) Strong vocals as ever from Debra and a nice rapport with & within the band. Personal highlights for me were their arrangements of ‘Señor Blues’ (Horace Silver) and ‘Temptation’ (Tom Waits) ... oh, and a surprise Sting number ‘Consider me gone’ ... although *every* number was appealing. I took along  a group of friends and one of them – unused to being ‘up close and personal’ to great live music – was moved to tears.  

Teresa Driscoll.

RIP Barry Soulsby

More sad news - Barry Soulsby, clarinetist, saxist and singer with Vieux Carré Jazzmen, Rendezvous Jazz and, over the years, many other bands, died at 8am yesterday.
More details when available.
Barry was 73
Sadly missed.
Lance.

Windows Expand Central Arcade Store in Newcastle

Bryan Ferry refers to spending his part time earnings working in a tailor's shop as a schoolboy and spending his wages buying records in Newcastle's major music store Windows of the Arcade.

Well, as someone who spent 30 years of his working life there, I was delighted to hear of their expansion plans in the Central Arcade.

CD Review: Partikel – String Theory

Duncan Eagles – saxophones; Max Luthert – bass; Eric Ford – drums - with Benet McLean, David LePage – violin; Carmen Flores – viola and Matthew Sharp – cello.

(Review by Hugh)

It is often said that one should not judge a book by its cover – well, in this case a reviewer should not judge a CD by its first 10 seconds!  The first track on String Theory  - Clash of the Clans (Part 1) commences with a burst of scraping horse hair on steel.  This soon gives way to more conventional jazz music with a definite groove. 

Ashington Cancelled Tonight!

John Taylor informs me that tonight's gig by the Zoe Gilby Quartet has been cancelled. The Elephant Pub, home of Ashington Jazz Club, has suddenly closed down for refurbishment. John is hoping to rearrange the gig for next week.

Watch this space...
Lance.

Jazz Café Jam Session - May 5.

Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Paul Wight (dms); Bradley Johnston (gtr) + Fi Finden (sop/vcl); Paul Gowland (alt); Stu Finden, Alexis Cairns (ten); Joe Fowler (tmb/vcl); David Gray, Priyanka (tmb); Joel Brown, Francesco Falconi (pno); Andrew Porritt, "Father" Brown, Luke Stuart-Smith (bs); Thanos (gtr); Dimi, Rob Bates, Eric Stutt (dms).

(Review by Lance.)

Back in the Crombie era, Keith's proudest boast was of the cosmopolitan nature of the clientele at the Jazz Café. Well, if the late KC is looking up from down there, he couldn't have wished for a greater international flavour than last night. Dimi from Bulgaria on drums, Italian Francesco on piano, Thanos from Greece on guitar and Pryanka, London born of Indian parents, blowing up a storm on trombone.

CD Review: Samuel Blaser Quartet - Spring Rain

Samuel Blaser (trombone), Russ Lossing (piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer & Minimoog), Drew Gress (double bass) & Gerald Cleaver (drums).

(Review by Russell)

Samuel Blaser’s debut release for Whirlwind Recordings features his established quartet of Russ Lossing, Drew Gress and Gerald Cleaver. An homage to Jimmy Giuffre, Spring Rain comprises twelve tracks (six Blaser tunes, one by Blaser and Lossing, three lesser-known Giuffre numbers and two Carla Bley compositions) embracing jazz, blues, freely improvised sections and Blaser’s scholarly contemporary classical roots.

R.I.P Bill Smith

I've just heard the sad news that clarinetist and saxophonist Bill Smith died on Friday (May 1). Bill played with many local bands including the River City Jazzmen, Roly Veitch and co at the Black Bull, Blaydon, George Evans and many others.
A quiet unassuming man, he will be remembered not just as a fine musician but as a lovely person.
Funeral details will be posted when known
Thanks to Roly for passing on the sad news.
Bill Smith was 88.
Sadly missed.
Lance.

Tim Garland Quartet @ Sage Gateshead - May 4

Tim Garland (ten/sop); Jason Rebello )pno); Ant Law (gtrs); Asaf Sirkis  (dms).
(Review by Lance).

A stonker of a gig! Whew! Four of the UK's finest going for Gold and getting it! The opening Bill Evans composition, Re Person I Knew, set the mood for the evening which was beautiful. Ant Law, a man of many guitars, chose a 12 string for this number and, it blended perfectly. I have to confess that, until that moment in time, I'd regarded 12 string guitars as only slightly less allergic to my ears than banjos. Not anymore - at least not in the hands of Ant Law (I wonder if he also plays banjo?)

Rebello played plenty piano whilst Sirkis  produced every sound imaginable from his exotic kit.

Garland? Simply an object lesson in tenor playing (and later, soprano).

A Reminder: Folk/Jazz @ The Globe This Thursday

Straight after you cast your vote, why not hurry along to the Globe for the Folk/Jazz evening, which runs from 8pm?  This was a great success in March, so you can help to make it a success this time too.  Just bring your instrument and voice, all comers get a chance to take part.

See you there!

Ann Alex