Situations Vacant

"Jazz North East – Trustee (unpaid) 

Jazz North East is the longest established promoter of Jazz in the UK, with 2016 having seen us celebrate 50 years of bringing the best contemporary jazz to Tyneside. But for us this anniversary was just the launchpad for the future. We’re much more interested in looking forward to our future concert programmes, with diversity very much at the heart of our approach. 

As a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, our activities are managed by a Board of Trustees, who play a crucial role in making sure the organisation manages its funds properly and fulfils its role of promoting gigs that showcase the best of British and international jazz.

Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2017

Voting is now open for the 2017 Parliamentary Jazz Awards, which will take place at PizzaExpress Live Holborn on Tuesday 10th October. Entries are open to anyone with the final deadline for entries set for 12 noon on Wednesday 16th August 2017.  To vote please go to:  https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/parliamentary-jazz-awards-2017 PLEASE NOTE CRITERIA FOR THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES: Jazz Album of the Year (released in 2016 by a UK band or musicians) Services to Jazz Award (to a living person for their outstanding contribution to jazz in the UK).  Jazz Newcomer of the Year (UK-based artist, musician or group with a debut album released in 2016) Jazz Education Award (to an educator or project for raising the standard of jazz education in the UK) Jazz Media Award(including broadcasters, journalists, magazines, blogs, listings and books) Jazz Venue of the Year (including jazz clubs, venues, festivals and promoters) Jazz Ensemble of the Year(UK-based group who impressed in 2016) Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year (UK-based musician who impressed in 2016) Jazz Vocalist of the Year (UK-based vocalist who impressed in 2016 To vote please go to: https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/parliamentary-jazz-awards-2017 The awards are organised by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group (APPJAG), co-chaired by Kelvin Hopkins MP and Lord Colwyn, and supported by Pizza Express Live in conjunction with Peroni. (Editor: As ever, we at BSH hope our readers will give us their consideration when weighing up the form in the Jazz Media Award category.)

RIP Lily Veitch

It is my sad duty to report the passing today (August 3) of Lily Veitch, mother of well-known guitarist Roly Veitch, the organiser of Blaydon Jazz Club.

Lily was an enthusiastic supporter of the music and frequently accompanied Roly to concerts and gigs, particularly those held at the various venues in the town where Blaydon Jazz Club was encamped.

Always a keen dancer, the young Lily is 3rd from the left in the photo of the dancing troupe she was part of. The more recent photo was taken, with Roly, at the celebration of her 90th birthday.

Our condolences go out to Roly, Christine and all the family as well as to those of us who will miss a lovely lady.

Lily Veitch was 96, sadly missed, may she Rest In Peace.

Lance.

PS: Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.

JOE THOMAS: Jazz Legend, Icon, The Ebony Godfather, passes away at age 84 on July 26, 2017

(Press release by Jazz Promo Services)

The musical career of The Incomparable Joe Thomas spans over seven decades. During that time, he performed throughout the world, gaining notoriety, acclaim and adoration internationally.Joseph Samuel Thomas was born to Frank Thomas and Sarah Pryor Thomas on May 31, 1933 in Newark, New Jersey. Born with extraordinary musical talents, Joe was blessed by God with the gifts of the spoken and written word.

Jazz FM – Move On Up*

(Press release)

Jazz FM has increased weekly reach to 556,000, up 19% quarter on quarter, with total hours unchanged at 1,660,000.

Listening across the UK has grown at twice the rate as in London with 56% of listeners living outside the London area compared with under 40% in Q1 2016 before Jazz FM re-launched nationally on DAB+ over a year ago. 

The weekly audience is slightly male biased at 52%, with two-thirds of listeners aged 15-54.  The audience profile has continued to skew younger with 15-34’s now representing 37% of weekly reach.

Jo Harrop @ the Gala Studio, Friday July 28

(Review & photos by Brian Ebbatson/Collage by Lance).

The Park and Ride bus at Sniperley pulled away without Jo as she was helping some European visitors buy tickets, but this was the only mishap of the day. Jo still arrived well in time to quickly rehearse the one number not on the programme with fellow musicians Paul Edis on piano, Andy Champion on double bass and Russ Morgan on drums, before taking a quick break as the Gala Studio filled up in anticipation of some sparkling summer afternoon jazz.

“Jo Harrop is a young jazz singer with a rich, captivating voice, who takes on classic jazz standards with ease” is how the Royal Albert Hall website describes Jo. Such is the range of her repertoire,

Jordi Jo (as she’s been known since her student days) only repeated two numbers from the previous gigs. Hearing familiar, less familiar, and one new number we were treated to yet another outstanding hour of music.

Preview: The Francis Tulip Quartet @ The Globe Jazz Bar, Newcastle, Sat August 5.

(Preview by Steve T/photo collage from archives)

The conception of this band can be traced to the Early Bird Band, Jambone, the Durham Gala Big Band, and various jam sessions in and around the North East. An embryonic form was initially named the Matthew MacKellar Trio, but any one of these four musicians could give the band their name - it's already been touted as a super-group - but the accepted convention dictates guitar, piano, bass, drums.

Last of the summer jam @ The Jazz Café - August 1

(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy Mike Tilley [above]  & Russell [below])

They came out of the woodwork for this one. The last jam session of the summer encouraged all and sundry to turn out – musicians and audience. The Jazz Café’s popular twice monthly session was so busy that more than one aspiring participant didn’t get the nod. The house trio opened the evening’s entertainment at eight o’clock, played a couple of tunes, played a couple more and in a trice it was ten minutes to nine. Hopeful sitters-in were massing at the bar waiting to be called.

Farewell Chuck Loeb (1955 - 2017)

Chuck Loeb died on July 31. Another one of  'The Greats' has left us. The guitarist, regarded as one of the best in the business, is particularly remembered for his work with Stan Getz and Michael Brecker's Steps Ahead. I heard Steps Ahead at the North Sea Jazz Festival in 1985 but Loeb wasn't on that tour. 

So, unable to add a personal touch, I'll pass you over to the American jazz station WBGO for a resumé of his illustrious career (How many of us have had Stan Getz as best man at our wedding?)

Rest In Peace.

Lance.

CD Review: Sam Braysher & Michael Kanan - Golden Earrings

Sam Braysher (alto); Michael Kanan (piano).
(Review by Lance).

The duo format is becoming ever increasingly popular with both players and club owners although not always with the listener. In these times of austerity, two musicians cost less than 3, 4 or 5 which appeals to the person behind the till. For the musicians, duos need minimal, if any, rehearsals or special arrangements. Newcastle's Jazz Café was one of the first in the area to adopt this policy and, most of the time it worked although sometimes it didn't and it had to be a pairing of the region's finest to hold the attention of the Friday night crowd.

On the evidence of this album, I think Braysher and Kanan may have managed it. Unfortunately, their itinerary indicates that their tour stops short in Leeds before turning tail and heading back down south (if it's any consolation they aren't doing Clitheroe either!).

Both musicians are new to me. Braysher graduated from Guildhall where he was an Artist Fellow and a Chartered Surveyors' Prize winner. His cv includes gigs with Jorge Rossy, Barry Green, Pete Hurt, John Warren's Nonet and the London Jazz Orchestra.