Watson Walker Edis @ The Lit & Phil. May 10, 2013

Lewis Watson (tenor saxophone), Rob Walker (drums) & Paul Edis (piano)

(Review by Russell - Photo by Jerry)

Another in the monthly lunchtime series of jazz gigs at the Lit & Phil and another full house. For some reason the jazz public has taken to the city centre venue from the get go; central location, a warm welcome from the Lit & Phil’s staff, quality bottled beers, tea, coffee and…top class jazz. It isn't rocket science, simply jazz.

Leo Harwood Memorabilia

Leo Harwood, still blowing tenor sax at 88 years old, sent me these photos and memories via his daughter Angela Penwarden.

Many of the photos are of Leo and the Mighty Joe Young Band with whom he spent three and a half years playing at various venues as listed below. Some of the photos need names added.

April 3, 1959  - Jazz Club, Grand Hotel Tynemouth for 4 weeks.

May  1959 - Peter Deuchar's Club, Nelson St, Newcastle.

May 30, 1959 to Nov 1962 - every Saturday at New Orleans Club.

March 25, 19 60 to Sept 1961 Downbeat Club.

Sept 1961 Nov 11, 19 62 Club Agogo every Sunday.

Numerous other gigs at clubs. parties, dances, jazz band balls etc. Alnwick Castle and Durham Castle.

Previous post re Joe Young Band.     
Link to Photo Album. 
Lance.                

Big Bear Stompers @ Customs House South Shields May 10.

Dave Moorwood (ldr/bjo/vcl); Andy Woon, Tony Davis (tpts); Gavin Lee (clt/sop); Bob Wilson (tmb); Perry Lock (pno); John Arthy (tuba); Andy Crisp (vcl); Judy Eames (vcl).

(Review by Lance.)

In the beginning there was King Oliver and his Creole Jazz Band in New Orleans, then, 20 or more years later, his music was revived in San Francisco by Lu Waters' Yerba Buena Jazz Band whose re-creation was itself revived by the Big Bear Stompers in the Midlands (UK). in 1989 - they have been stomping ever since or as one of the numbers went, Charlestoning Back to Charleston!

Stravena @ Hoochie Coochie 8/5/13

Sarah Travena (sop sax/flute) Mark Williams (guitar) Alan Law (piano) John Pope (bass) Mark Robertson (Drums)

(Review by Ed Case)

A very well attended night at Hoochie Coochie kicked off with a flawless arrangement of No More Blues, Sarah's sop. sax making light work of the many changes and the rhythm section kept the piece firmly placed in Brasilia. 

How High the Moon was excellently handled by Sarah, floating over the band, ornamenting beautifully a loose interpretation of the melody rubato before kicking it into tempo with a three times tag. As if this wasn't pleasing enough the whole thing morphed into Ornithology half way through with Mark and Sarah taking an obviously well rehearsed dual head. (Sounds filthy!)

BBC 4 Tonight

Lots of jazz on BBC 4 tonight:

20:30 Dave Brubeck Quartet. A Jazz 625 broadcast from 1960s.
21:00 Jazz Divas. (Repeated 0100)
22:00 Jazz Divas Gold. (Repeated 0200)
23:00 Jazz Piano Gold.
00:00 Sonny Rollins. (Repeated 0300).
Link for more details.
Truly a feast although, personally, I'd prefer it if they were shown nightly or even weekly rather than in one marathon sitting. I suppose Catch-up is the answer here.
Lance.

Glasgow Jazz Festival 2013 Program

This year's Glasgow Jazz Festival runs from June 26 - June 30. It's an exciting program,
Check it out here: http://www.jazzfest.co.uk/
Lance.

2013 Parliamentary Jazz Awards - Result

The 2013 results have been announced in Jazzwise magazine and LondonJazzNews.
For comprehensive and descriptive info visit Jazz Services.
Lance.

CD Review: Gene Ess - Fractal Attraction.

Gene Ess (gtr); Thana Alexa (voice); David Berkman (pno); Thomas Kneeland (bs); Gene Jackson (dms).

(Review by Lance)

The blurb sums it up exactly - Eight original compositions which are forward thinking but  simultaneously respecting the best of the past from the rich jazz music history. I'll raise a glass to that.

The guitar/voice front line is used very effectively. Japanese American guitarist Ess has a pedigree that includes a stint with the Rashied Ali Quintet and sessions with Ravi Coltrane, Archie Shepp and many others.

Despite that contemporary company, former child prodigy Ess' playing here is relatively straightforward.  Grant Green is cited as an inspiration and certainly many of the guitar solos have a Blue Note feel about them.

CD Review : MYRIAD3 - TELL

(Review by Dave Brownlow)

Chris Donnelly (pno), Don Fortin (bass) and Ernesto Cervini (dms).

Donnelly is an acclaimed pianist/composer equally at home in jazz and classical music,

Fortin has a background of jazz and rock and Cervini, a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music plays in or leads several local ensembles. Fortin explains “with MYRIAD3, a lot of varied styles and approaches converge, and that makes for a very different music”. This is very true and the album by the recently formed Toronto based group is far from the usual piano/bass/drums trio in the jazz tradition It is more that bass and drums have equality with the piano and where each musician contributes as they “share ideas and craft each piece collectively”. There are frequent mood, tempo or style changes within each piece. Of the 11 tracks on the CD, the pianist contributes 4 originals, the bassist 3 the drummer 3 and there is 1 standard - Duke Ellington’s C Jam Blues.

Hot Club Gone Cold

It's a sad day for music today as the long established music venue, the Station at Stokesley is closing.
The landlord, Jim has decided it's finally time to retire. I am sure everyone will wish to thank him for the many years he has supported the local music scene.

The Tees Hot Club Wednesday evening session is cancelled for the time being but we will be performing at the Dormans, Linthorpe as usual. Jim is going to join us there occasionally, now that he is a man of leisure!

Tees Hot Club.