Maine Street Jazzmen @ Rosie Malone's. Plus CD review.

Olive Rudd (vcl); Herbie Hudson (tmb/hca/vcl); Jim McBriarty (alt/clt/vcl); George Richardson (pno); Alan Rudd (bs); Mike Humble (dms). 

A routine afternoon with the gang blowing their pleasing mix of Dixie/small band swing that never fails to entertain. However, rather than repeat the plaudits I've been handing out over the past couple of years I thought I'd draw attention to the band's latest CD.

I say "The Band's" but in fact it's a compilation of Olive Rudd's vocals from their previous CDs.

Olive has an earthy sound that lies comfortably between the blues mama and the sophisticated cabaret artist and she carries it off well.

Tin Roof Blues and Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out are examples of the former whilst I Wished on the Moon and Howdya Like To Love Me? lean towards the supper room crowd.

In between and amidst it all the Maine Street gang blow some great jazz with Ray Harley's trumpet adding to the above guys. but, these are recordings spread over the last year so, on some tracks, we have Malcolm Armstrong booting it along on keys whilst others have Ian Hetherington on drums. Jimmy Mack and Herbie chip in from Inspiration Point making this an ideal example of Olive and the band.

You don't need a mortgage either - £6 from the band at gigs or via the band's website.

Lance.
PS:Getting back to the actual gig Herbie sang A Wink and a Smile from Sleepless in Seattle. A Harry Connick jnr. number that always knocks me out.

"Der Bingle" at Trinity - Saturday Jan 14.

Happy New Year to everybody, and how better to start the new jazz year at Trinity than with Spats Langham and the crew in a concert dedicated to "The Jazzy Side of Bing"? 

Though mainly a sentimental crooner in his later years, the younger Bing was very much a part of the Jazz Age, and in the 1920s and 30s always liked to surround himself with the top jazz musicians of the day. Spats Langham is one of the best when it comes to recreating this music (and of course a virtuoso guitarist and banjoist too) and on this occasion will be accompanied by the legendary Midlands reed-player Norman Field on clarinet and saxes, assisted by Mike Durham on trumpet, Brian Chester on piano, and John Carstairs Hallam on bass. 

As well as Bing, we can expect a glimpse or two of Spats' other favourite crooners, such as Al Bowlly and Russ Colombo. The music starts at 8.00pm, and we hope very much to see you there - advance bookings on (0191) 285 6130.

 Best wishes,

 Mike

Sheila Jordan Interview

Marc Myers has a fascinating interview with Sheila Jordan on his Jazz Wax site. In two parts this is part one.
Lance.

Off The Page Sound and Music Festival.

I've included this because a) some of our readers like Evan Parker and b) some of our readers may like oysters and Whitstable is famous for them.

Off The Page is the UK's only literary festival devoted to music criticism and audio culture. Taking place in the seaside town of Whitstable in Kent, this unique weekend-long event looks to expand the discourse surrounding contemporary sound and music by bringing together leading critics, authors, musicians and artists in a programme of talks, presentations and panel discussions.

For more details of this event, sponsored by Sound and Music/The Wire, visit the S and M website. 

Lance.

Gig of the Year Result

No landslide winners but GREG ABATE with the PAUL EDIS TRIO just edged it from the Paul Booth Trio, Tim Garland/Jim Mullen, Vasilis Xenopoulos with the Paul Edis Trio, Tommaso Starace Quartet and the Stan Tracey Quartet.

At a local level the LEW WATSON TRIO's set at the Lit and Phil Jazzathon stood out although given the number of times PAUL EDIS appeared - and held his own - with other nominated artists plus of course his own sextet and the fact that he organised the all-day Jazzathon whilst in the process of getting married surely merits some kind of musical Oscar!

Lance.

Jazz in the Afternoon @ The Crescent Club, Cullercoats.

Iain MacAulay (tmb/vcl); Derek Fleck (ten/clt); Brian Chester (pno); J.C. Hallam (bs); Ollie Rillands (dms) + John Broddle/Teresa Armstrong (vcl); Barry Soulsby (clt); Mike Durham (tpt); Roy Gibson (pno).

As always, a fun packed, well attended Monday afternoon at the Crescent Club - the jewel in the crown of Cullercoats' afternoon activities.

Perdido had a good mainstreamy sound and St Louis Blues went down well - particularly as I got the impression that one or two of the ladies present were themselves wearing "store bought hair!" Talking hair, Derek Fleck was wearing a cap owing to the fact that Alice, Mrs Fleck, who was perhaps a sheep-shearer in a previous existence,.had applied the clippers a little too close to the bone. "He ended up with a haircut like yours", she said! 

Tomorrow I'll be wearing a cap!

Royal Garden Blues brought back memories of Eddie Condon or the Crosby Bobcats.

When Iain announced Squeeze Me I was delighted only to find it was not Squeeze Me but Just Squeeze Me a different tune entirely. Both good numbers but, for me, Squeeze Me just has the edge on Just Squeeze Me!

John Broddle sang There'll Be Some Changes Made and Teresa evoked the spirit of Lee Wiley with These Foolish Things - Mike Durham blew some nice muted horn on this one.

Barry Soulsby and Derek Fleck locked licker sticks on High Society. Barry's cool precise rendition contrasting with Derek's earthy New Orleans sound - a score draw.

Lots of regulars in including Margaret of JNE, Sting's Auntie Mary, singer Kenny Gay, and Portholers Miles and Robin.

Enjoyable.

Photos.

Lance.

Happy Birthday Lindsay Hannon

Happy Birthday and Happy New Year to Lindsay.
Lance.

Competition! A Free Pint of Ale from Lance - a rare opportunity!

The more observant of you will have noticed that the Christmas heading has gone and with it the old Art Blakey one.

The new header pictures a drummer, a saxophonist and a bass player.

A free pint of real ale - none of this foreign lager stuff or keg bitter - will be given to the first person to identify the sax player and the drummer. If you can also identify the bass player you get two pints as even I don't know who he is! (a copy of his passport and a DNA sample will be sufficient proof). The prize will be presented to the winner at the Bridge Hotel on Jan. 8 when Splinter return with a session by the Ruth Lambert Quintet.

Lance.

New Years Eve Jam @ The Jazz Café

A fun and interesting night filled to near capacity with musicians and others who followed this alternative celebration to bring in the New Year..Spirited Keith was dishing out christmas crackers, mince pies and biscuits for his guests. 

The night began with a set by the Bud Tones (featuring a promising guitarist called Richard Herdman from London, originally from Leadgate in County Durham). Safe Sextet kept the mood in good shape. I can't help but acknowledge Alan Law for his incredible sense of dynamics which moved me as a pianist. In addition, his Sainsburys champagne was also a treat! 

Pete Gilligan put together an amazing set and helped us to bring in the New Year with Georgia On My Mind, including a group of us in the corner singing the lyrics. The last note coincided with the clock striking midnight. 

A break followed for everyone to congratulate and fill up their glasses. A jam consisting of many musicians burst enthusiastically into a Blues in F, rhythm changes (Oleo) and Miles' Four. 

Claire Kelly and Julija Jolie appeared by then to provide eloquent vocals to songs such as This Masquerade and Wave. As people began to dimiss themselves from the bandstand to the bar for the rest of the night or to bed, the music continued in the form of a Catalonian guitarist intriguing our ears to the sounds of flamenco. 

My evaluation of the night was simply the best jam I had ever attended! Thank you to the musicians who attended to make that possible, and above all to Keith for his determination to preserve a jazz scene in Newcastle.

Harley Johnson.

R.I.P. Dave Savill

Tonight I received the sad news that Dave died yesterday, 31st December, 2011, in the hospice at Ulverston. He was a kind, funny man who played a lot of trumpet, and will be sorely missed by his friends and everyone who enjoyed his playing and his personality on and off the bandstand. He and I played together so often over a period of about 15 years that we got to that nice point where we each knew what the other was thinking - that doesn't happen often, but when it does some great music can come out.

Not the best start to 2012, but let's hope it gets better,

Steve Andrews.

----- 

That is sad news Steve. I'm only just coming to terms with the knowledge of his illness and now this. After San Sebastian with the Newcastle Big Band, I lost touch with Dave although, in those in-between years I acquired a double CD of the Midnite Follies Orchestra - It's All Ellington - that had Dave in the trumpet section. I'll play that CD tonight and raise a glass in his memory.

Lance.
Previous post and comments.
Mike Lovell's site (Dave's last band.)