Chris Connor In Osaka with The Bob Kaye Trio 1992 (playlist)

SNJO in New York/Canada - and, on Monday, Durham!

If you're on Facebook check out these awesome photos of Tommy Smith and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra in New York and Canada. Don't forget they head for Durham's Gala Theatre (by way of Romania) next Monday July 8 to present their Ellington program In The Spirit of Duke.
A concert not to be missed.
Lance
For those doubters - CD review. (It's still got it's nose in front as my CD of the year)

Previously unreleased Art Pepper track.

Listen here to a previously unreleased version of I'll Remember April by Art Pepper courtesy of Laurie Pepper's Widow's Taste site.
Thank you Laurie.
Lance.

Picnic with the Vieux Carré Hot 4

Join the Vieux Carré Hot 4 at the birthplace of Northumberland's greatest wood engraver and artist, Thomas Bewick. 

With great views over the Tyne valley, it's the perfect location to enjoy a summer evening picnic with family 'n' friends and listen to the VCH4 play the popular music of the 20's and 30's. 

Saturday 13 July, showtime 7.00pm, entry £5 

Call Cherryburn National Trust on 01661 843276 to book your place 

or e-mail: cherryburn@nationaltrust.org.uk 

Cherryburn Cottage and Farmhouse 

Station Bank 

Mickley, Stocksfield 

NE43 7DD 

Brian.

RIP Bengt Hallberg

Another fine pianist has left us - Sweden's Bengt Hallberg. Back in the 1950s, Sweden was at the forefront of European jazz with outstanding players such as baritone saxist Lars Gullin, altoist Arne Domnerus and pianist Hallberg. They recorded with many Americans, Hallberg receiving international recognition after a series of sides with Stan Getz. I still have them on Esquire 78 rpms as well as on LP -  treasured items.

Bengt Hallberg died July 2 aged 80.

RIP.

Obituary.

Lance.

RIP Paul Smith -Pianist Extraordinaire

When JATP rode into Newcastle City Hall on a day in February (maybe March )1962 we looked forward to hearing Ella, Hawk, Roy Eldridge, Tommy Flanagan, Major Holley and Ed Locke. Looking at the program, we noted that the Paul Smith Trio were opening the second set prior to accompanying Ella. Paul Smith? Never heard of him and, if it hadn't been because he had Stan Levy on drums and Wilfred Middlebrooks on bass we may have sat that one out in the bar

Thank God we didn't!

Alan Glen Trio @ Cherry Tree, Jesmond. July 1.

Alan Glen (pno); John Pope (dms); Paul Wight (dms).

Some things defy words  - classics. My Prawn Cocktail starter fell into that category and so did Alan Glen's version of Love For Sale. Both set the mood for an evening of good food and great jazz. Like Someone in Love followed and it was apparent that the maestro and his two henchmen were up for it.

Although restricting himself to brushes Wight didn't let that stop him swinging and Pope was as sympathetic as ever to Glen's harmonically rich renditions.

Jerome Kern's All the Things You Are was delightful and my Fillet of Seabass, Fregola Pasta, Confit Tomatoes and Spiced Crab Aioli was delicious in fact, like the next tune, it was But Beautiful.

Girl From Ipanema and Blue Monk accompanied Strawberry Parfait, Meringue, Strawberries and Crumble washed down with a bottle of Black Sheep and digested with Yardbird Suite, When I Fall in Love and The Song is You.

It was an evening to remember for all the right reasons.

We don't hear the Alan Glen Trio often enough so catch them when next you can.

Lance.

CD Review: Barbacana Barbacana

James Allsopp (tenor saxophone & bass clarinet), Sylvain Darrifourcq (drums, objects & toys), Adrien Dennefeld (guitar & cello) & Kit Downes (organ, keyboard & prepared piano)

(Review by Russell).

An Anglo-French quartet, Barbacana comprises two star names of the new generation of British musicians - Kit Downes and James Allsopp - and two stellar performers from France - Sylvain Darrifourcq and Adrien Dennefeld. The quartet’s debut recording on Babel Label opens with a foursome’s squabble - Animation. A bewildering, frantic patchwork of noise; clattering Darrifourcq, Downes’ keyboard mania, Hawaiian Frisell oddity from Dennefeld (guitar) and the relative restraint of reedsman Allsopp ushers in a calming coda.

MuHaHa @ The Bridge Hotel. June 30

Brendan Murphy (tuned glass percussion), Graham Hardy (trumpet & flugelhorn) & Neil Harland (double bass)

(Review by Russell. Photos by Ken Drew).

Splinter @ the Bridge presented a world premiere! Brendan Murphy’s amazing glass constructions - water-filled bowls, bells, blocks - constituted a glistening, gleaming, crystal orchestra from which sounds rang and chimed to the echo. Trumpeter Graham Hardy adopted Miles’ modal mode, bassist Neil Harland mined a rich seam of grooves. Hypnotic, insinuating loops took cover in the dusk of the night air, a grapefruit-green spotlight illuminated Murphy’s Heath Robinson instrument. 

CD Review: Three Fall - Realize.

Lutz  Streun (ten/ bs. clt.); Til Schneider (tmb); Sebastian Winne (dms). (Review by Lance.)

I usually wince when confronted with a CD from mainland Europe and I was sure this young German Trio would be be one of the most winceable ever.

It wasn't!