Last of the jam…for this year

This week two of the region’s jam sessions wind down for Christmas. Tonight – Sunday 4th – Durham’s Empty Shop jam session is the last one of the year featuring some of the very best student musicians from Durham University. It’s free admission with a 7:30pm start on Framwellgate Bridge. Why not get along to listen or sit-in? And on Tuesday the Newcastle Jazz Café hosts its final jam session of 2016. As with its Durham counterpart, it’s free admission with an eight o’clock start. In Peter Gilligan’s absence, fellow ace pianist Alan Law steps into the breach. Again, drop by to listen or get up and show what you can do.

Russell.

Jambone @ St James’ & St Basil’s Church. Dec 2

(Review by Russell)

Jambone, Sage Gateshead’s youth jazz ensemble performed in concert in a church setting on Friday evening. St James’ and St Basil’s in Fenham, Newcastle welcomed an audience of family, friends and supporters of the band on a rain-swept night. Wine and nibbles and, perhaps surprisingly, an above-freezing venue augured well.

Jambone’s Musical Director, Dr Paul Edis played an introductory solo composition at his well-travelled keyboard. The church piano stood idly by – perhaps it wasn’t up to scratch. Montage (comp P. Edis) focused the collective mind of the congregation. The Jamboners were champing at the bit and a couple of them stepped forward to join Edis to play on the evergreen On Green Dolphin Street. 

The Italian Job @ The Black Swan November 29

Tommaso Starace Sax, John Turville piano, Al Swainger bass, and Chris Nickolls drums

(Review by Steve H/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew).

This was a marvelously constructed gig: each tune played was inspired by a photograph made by the great Italian photographer Gianni Berengo Gardin. The black and white images of scenes from Italian life were projected onto a screen to one side of the stage. The quartet really managed to musically illustrate the feelings that the images portrayed. For example, the light feel of the soprano saxophone on The Bubble Vendor perfectly captured the feel of the bubbles soaring into the 1960’s Venetian sky. My own particular favourite photograph of the evening, Motion In Stillness, depicts a severe looking priest in Milan (1950) juxtaposed with a blurred spinning roundabout populated by young children enjoying themselves with gay abandon.

CD Review: Leandro Cabral Trio - Alfa

Leandro Cabral (piano); Sidiel Vieira (bass); Vitor Cabral (drums) + V.anessa Moreno (vocal); Cássio Ferreira (alto)

(Review by Lance).

For some unknown reason, maybe it was the packaging, I thought this was an ECM release.

Four bars in I knew it wasn't!

Absolutely delightful example of today's Brazillian jazz.

Cabral, a young pianist based in Sao Paolo, is a real find. Sensitive, explorative and, behind Vanessa Moreno, as sympathetic an accompanist as any singer could wish for - and Moreno isn't just 'any singer' but a sultry serenader reminiscent of Astrud Gilberto. The addition of Cássia Ferreira on sax adds to the ambiance of the track.

BABMUS return to Jazz Café

Here's news of a new twice-monthly Thursday night session at the Jazz Cafe. Because of existing one-off events already in the diary it will take a month or two for a regular programme to get underway on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month.

BABMUS Presents..... Thursday 26th January & Thursday 9th February at 8.00pm - The Tom Bearpark Quintet and guests. Young musicians from the Sage BMus and BA degree courses. Admission at the door £3.00 full price & £2.00 students / MU members. Upstairs in the Jazz Café on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month.

Dave Clarke (photo Mike Tilley).

Alter Ego @ Empty Shop, Durham - December 1

Keith Robinson (alto), Niall Armstrong (tenor, flute), Dave Hignott (trumpet, flugelhorn), Andy Hawking (keys), Tony Abell (bass), David Francis (drums).

(Review by Steve T)

In an attempt to keep the wife from the door, that's the exit, and with so much going on over the next three weeks, I decided to make this gig one [set] only. I thought musicians/promoters gave our bank accounts a break in December! 

I wasn't sure if I'd seen this band before and I'm still not; maybe I saw them under another name. I'll get my coat.

With natives of places like Blyth and wildest Northumberland on stage, I felt like a Teessider in need of a translator. This linguistic problem was remedied by a set list handed over in the interval. Beauty became Budini, Don't Leave Paris became Dog Leap Bounce. Thereafter I seemed to get the hang of it.  

Paul James Band w. Laura Adam 'Sisters of Swing' - Sage Gateshead December 1.

(Review by Lance).

A celebration of the GASbook as performed by divas past [mostly] and present delivered in true show biz fashion by the exquisitely gowned Laura Adams and the immaculately tailored  Paul James Band.

The Divas were Ella, Sassy, Peggy, Julie, Nina, Natalie, Dinah W, Etta, Diane (Reeves) and Judy - apologies ladies if I've missed anyone out. 

Wisely, although using arrangements adapted from the originals, Adams didn't attempt note for note cloning but, instead, did it 'her way'. 

This was a two-edged sword. At Last wasn't quite the showstopper it should have been to close the first set whilst Over the Rainbow that concluded the second set most certainly was - even Judy Garland would have been pushed to match this rendition.

Line-Up Revealed For Gateshead International Jazz Festival 2017

(Press Release)

The global reach of jazz and the sheer range of music in today’s jazz scene are the threads that run through Gateshead International Jazz Festival 2017. The festival presents a dynamic mix of artists from Cuba, South Africa, Cameroon and throughout Europe alongside diversely talented artists from the UK and USA. Whilst the classic jazz tradition and the swinging sounds of the jazz big band remains at the heart of the weekend, next year’s festival also reflects the way that new generations of artists are telling the story of an ever-changing jazz landscape. The festival, the UK’s biggest held under one roof, fills four stages at Sage Gateshead from Friday 31 March to Sunday 2 April 2017. Tickets go on sale on Friday 2 December.

Sage Gateshead: Sisters of Swing, Barber and Major Miller

(Previews by Russell)

Tonight (December 1) at Sage Gateshead Laura Adams and the Paul James Band pay tribute to the Great American Songbook. Vocalist Adams, and bandleader and bassist Paul James, enjoy a high reputation at prestigious venues throughout the region and beyond as a polished, professional act whatever the occasion. In Sage Two (it’s going to be a full house – be quick, telephone the ticket office 0191 433 4661) at eight o’clock Adams, James and the band will present Sisters of Swing, a salute to the women who put the Great American Songbook on the map. And, the evening’s entertainment will raise a bucket full of money for Macmillan Cancer Nurses.

CD Review: Andrea Claburn - Nightshade

(Review by Ann Alex).

After 10 years of performing, studying and teaching, songwriter, arranger and vocalist, Andrea Claburn has finally recorded her first album.  ‘Frisco based Claburn studied jazz in California, as well as performing throughout the Bay area and further afield.  Nightshade is made up of 5 original songs by Claburn and 7 fresh interpretations of jazz standards and all except 1 track have been arranged by our singer.  All the instrumentalists are said to be world-class, and although I’m not familiar with their names, they all sound well up to the mark and beyond.