JJA Awards 2014

This year's Jazz Journalists Association Awards can be found here - quite a few names seen and heard recently on Tyneside are among the winners.
Lance.

Pink Lane Jazz Co-op at The Globe is going ahead!

Good news! Pink Lane Jazz Co-op at The Globe is going ahead. It will be the first freehold music venue in the UK to be owned by its members.
We've raised the money we needed to get started and we've instructed our solicitor to proceed with the purchase. We’ll post more details when the sale is completed.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to all the people who have invested in this exciting venture and to those who have helped to promote and publicise it. Our community share issue exceeded our target. We don’t know the exact sum invested yet because there are still cheques arriving in the post. We’ll give you an accurate figure in the next couple of days. Thank you all.

Britain's Greatest Ever Jazz Musician?

Simon Whittle uploaded this magnificent shot of Tubby Hayes to the Facebook page of the Tubby Hayes Appreciation Society.

Britain's greatest ever jazz musician? I wouldn't bet against it although I'm sure others will!

Lance.

Mitch Laddie Band @ The Tyne Bar. April 13

Mitch Laddie (guitar & vocals), Rhian Wilkinson (electric bass) & Matt Connor (drums)

(Review by Russell)

Sunday afternoons at the Tyne Bar are invariably busy with regulars eager to hear some blues. This week the Maling Street hostelry almost burst at the seams. Three deep at the bar (Wylam beers occupying every hand pull), they had come to hear Mitch Laddie. The man from out Consett way plays gigs in pubs, clubs, concert halls (Sage Gateshead) and on the blues festival circuit. Laddie, five string bassist Rhian Wilkinson and drummer Matt Connor make for the tightest of units rampaging across a blues rock landscape, the big bonus being they avoid the mind-numbing, sledgehammer approach.

Preview Darlington Jazz Festival April 24 – 27

(Preview by Russell).

The third Darlington Jazz Festival runs over four days, at three venues, wider in scope and ambition. The Forum Music Centre on Borough Road (the event’s HQ in previous years) presents a workshop and a full day of music (twelve hours worth!), the Head of Steam  (Darlington Railway Museum) on Station Road (a new venue) offers ten hours of jazz and the Voodoo Café on Skinnergate hosts a late night session of danceable Latin American sounds.

The first event takes place at the Forum on Thursday evening (April 24). Trumpeter Matt Roberts will lead a workshop for all ages and abilities, sectional tutors will be on hand and take note - the event is certain to be over-subscribed, so be quick, contact details. The workshop fee is a bargain £6.00., 5:30 pm start.

This Sunday (April 20) @ Blaydon.

Alter Ego

This great sextet has six of the North's finest jazz musicians. Since their début performance in 2008, Alter Ego have entertained audiences at many North East jazz venues and festivals. The group draw much of their material from the rich catalogue of original compositions created by the likes of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Hank Mobley and Miles Davis. The result is a stylistically varied programme including Up-tempo Swing, Hard Bop, Funk and Latin Jazz. 

“The spirit of the Jazz Messengers is with the band from first note to last.” - Lance Liddle, Bebop Spoken Here.
Roly.

Sunday April 20 - Black Bull, Blaydon. 8pm. £5.

Krysztof Urbanski - The Urban Jazz Society @ Bridge Hotel, Newcastle. April 13.

Krysztof  Urbanski (ten/alt); Martin Longhawn (pno); Sam Vicary (bs); Sam Gardner (dms).

(Review by Lance/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew).

If Johnny Hodges had played tenor, tonewise, he may have resembled Urbanski particularly in the latter's opening, unaccompanied, introduction to Nature Boy. Paradoxically, when Urbanski did play alto in the second set he sounded nothing like Hodges!

Nature Boy was the only non-original composition, the rest were mainly from the pen of the leader who never fails to impress with his big saxophone sound and technique to match.

CD Review: Colin Vallon Trio - Le Vent

Colin Vallon – piano   Patrice Moret – bass  Julian Sartorus – drums.

(Review by Steve H.)

This is the Swiss trio’s second ECM album. It’s a very modern European offering revolving not around virtuoso solos but a collaboration of like minded musicians who have produced a piece of work which may not have you jumping around on the kitchen table with excitement but instead will provide a stimulating relaxing and peaceful experience.  This is definitely more Swiss Roll than rock and roll but sometimes it’s nice to have your cake and eat  it.

Mick Shoulder Website.

Bass players having websites? Bloody drummers will be wanting them next!
Never heard the like!
Check out Mick's website here. Lots of info on one of the region's top bassists.
Lance.

CD Review: Leslie Pintchik - In the Nature of Things.

Leslie Pintchik (pno); Steve Wilson (alt/sop); Ron Horton (tpt/flug); Scott Hardy (bs); Michael Sarin (dms); Satoshi Takeishi (perc).
(Review by Lance).

So many review CDs come through the letterbox that I've had to replace the mat in the hall and the postman is complaining of a bad back so I hope those who have sent CDs for review will understand if they don't get reviewed immediately or even ever!

This disc is such a one that most undeservedly got shuffled back down the deck. Not any longer! It's a cracker!