Blaydon Jazz Club's monthly sessions to switch from Sunday to Monday

After discussion with the management at The Black Bull, Blaydon Jazz Club's Roly Veitch and his team of helpers have  decided to resume their concerts next month. 

Instead of Sunday evenings the decision has been made to switch to Mondays when there are better transport links in the form of trains and buses back to Newcastle etc.  Music will be two 45 minute sets - 8:00pm to 8:45pm and 9:15pm to 10:00pm -  and usually £7 admission, pay (cash only) at the door.

Aycliffe Radio: Jazz Time - Sept. 19

Sundays 6:30pm - 8:00pm (Repeat Tuesdays 8:30pm - 9:30pm)

Playlist:

Ray Sams' selection of bands that should have played at Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club - Alligator Gumbo; TJ Johnson; Tenement Jazz Band.

Anita Wardell.

Request: Ramsey Lewis Trio.

Journeys in Modern Jazz Britain: Mike Taylor, Mike Gibbs.

MJQ + Phil Woods.

Billie Holliday, Oscar Peterson.

What's on:  Sue Ferris and Musicians Unlimited; David Gray Trio; Matt Carmichael with Fergus McCreadie; Nikki Iles; 

Blossom Dearie.

Album review: Brandon Goldberg - In Good Time

Brandon Goldberg (piano, Rhodes); Josh Evans (trumpet); Stacy Dillard (tenor, soprano sax); Luques Curtis (bass); Ralph Peterson (drums) + Antoine Drye (trumpet - 1 tk).

Brandon Goldberg was 15 when he recorded this, his second album, just under a year ago. He also arranged most of the tunes as well as composing some originals. What an amazing talent. Not only does he swing like a hardened pro but his sensitivity on a ballad whether soloing or accompanying has to be heard to be believed. His unaccompanied rendition of Someone to Watch Over me is up there with the gods. Tatum, Peterson, Garner and co may be long gone but there is no shortage  of would be successors and Goldberg is surely high among them.

Nik Svarc Trio @ the Lit & Phil, Newcastle - Sept. 17

Nik Svarc (guitar); Andy Champion (bass); Steve Hanley (drums)

An interesting session that was quite different from your average trio gig. Whether it's piano, bass and drums or, as was the case this afternoon, guitar bass and drums trio gigs can be formulaic - particularly when you have a ringer in the band. However, when that ringer is bassist Andy Champion, filling in for organist Martin Longhawn, you soon realise that he is better than your average dep. Champion is rated among the best bass players in the UK so, no worries there.

Exclusive! Autumn international jazz events announced

(Press release)

JazzLeeds autumn programme is a complete festival of music in itself. We are presenting more than 30 concerts to help people come back to live gigs again. Jazz is attracting a lot of interest these days from a new young audience – our programme includes all types of jazz with something for all tastes. We have some superb international evening concerts the Chief highlights are two women who have set the jazz world by storm – pianist and composer Nikki Iles who will be bringing her Nikki Iles Big Band to Seven Arts for two performances on October 7th, and jazz vocalist Liane Carroll who will be playing a rare date with top Scottish pianist Brian Kellock on December 2nd. 

George Mraz (1944 - Sept. 16, 2021)

I was in the bar (surprise!) at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Den Haag when I encountered Muriel who was a friend of Margaret Barnes and a rather special friend of  Fred Hunt. Muriel had a way of latching on to musicians and, on this occasion, she'd latched on to bassist George Mraz.

"Hey Lance, say hello to George Mraz - Lance plays sax". 

We shook hands and George, who I knew from listening to him on record with Art Pepper said. "we're trying to get a jam together bring your horn along."

I beat a hasty retreat.

George Mraz was one of the great modern jazz bassists and the iconic list of those whose rhythm sections he enhanced in Wikipedia is phenomenal - and to think I shook his hand!

He was 77 and, on the strength of that fleeting handshake, I'll  never forget him.

Sadly missed - Lance

Nicola Farnon Trio @ J's & B's - Sept. 16

Nicola Farnon (double bass, vocals); Richard Wetherall (piano); Phil Johnson (drums).

When I was relatively young, my parents took me to hear the Glasgow Orpheus Choir in a Newcastle Church - it may have been the Brunswick Methodist
Church down that back alley between Fenwicks and Waterstones.

Although I was somewhat reluctant about going, when I heard the choir in full voice I couldn't but fail to be impressed by the sound that reverberated around the room and, in later years, it made me realise how churches had been built to accentuate and enhance the choir's acoustics. Hearing, say, The Easter Hymn from "Cav" in a church or a cathedral is one of those experiences that can turn committed atheists into becoming, at least, agnostics. 

Jazz trios don't fare quite so well in God's house.

Rendezvous Jazz gigs.

Rendezvous Jazz have a couple of gigs next month apart from their regular Friday lunchtime gigs at the Monkseaton Arms:

Saturday Oct. 9: Forest Hall Constitutional Club, 5 Park Drive, Forest Hall NE12 9JN. Admission is free and is a fund-raising event for Blood Cancer - UK. 8:00pm - 10:30pm. Please wear something red.

Saturday Oct. 16: Memorial Hall, Darras Rd., Ponteland NE20 9NX. 7:00pm - 10:00pm. £16 per person. Tickets from Stuart Blair 01661 822367. Ponteland Rotary Club event. Special guest, pianist Ian Wynne.

Preview Nicola Farnon Trio @ J's & B's - Sept. 16

Nicola Farnon (double bass, vocals); Richard Wetherall (piano); Phil Johnson (drums).

Tomorrow night promises to be something rather special at J & B's - a session by the Nicola Farnon Trio. I last heard Nicola at the Ushaw Jazz Festival a couple of years back and I look forward to hearing her again - this time with Richard Wetherall on piano and Phil Johnson on drums. It will be well worth getting the number 63 from Blackett St (opposite a branch of a well known bakery chain) at 6:39pm or 7:08pm.

Paul Hartley Quartet @ The Railway, Stockport - Sept. 14

Paul Hartley (guitar); Andrzej Baranek (keys); Ed Harrison (bass); Dave Walsh (drums).

Paul’s guest tonight was Andrzej Baranek. A man well known in these parts as a hard-driving pianist who can handle any jazz situation - particularly hard bop. However, the ten tunes chosen were mainly standards, two of which were on Suzanne Fonseca’s set list when she played this venue two days ago, Misty and Honeysuckle Rose. Andrzej gets a great sound from his keyboard so the house upright was not utilised.