The Last Ship @ Northern Stage, Newcastle - April 4

I almost made one of the biggest mistakes of my life! I almost didn't go to see The Last Ship, the musical written by Sting and in the last week of its 4 weeks run at Newcastle's Northern Stage Theatre. The same theatre where Sting learned his craft as a bass guitarist with the Newcastle Big Band although the theatre was called the University Theatre back then.

I'd heard songs from the show on radio and seen clips on television which, away from the overall picture didn't even go close to revealing the experience it turned out to.

As I set off it was raining, no ordinary rain but such as brought to mind the expression "Not a fit night out for man nor beast".

I hesitated. Did I really want to sit in a theatre in wet clothes watching a musical about the closing of a shipyard?

CD Review: Paula Rae-Gibson and Sam Leak - Permission

Paula Rae-Gibson (vocals, lyrics, also photography, filmography on CD cover) Sam Leak (piano)

(Review by Ann Alex).

‘O dear,’ I thought as I read on the insert that ‘ The two musicians have developed a synergetic approach to real-time composition’.  I even looked up ‘synergetic’ in the dictionary. I needn’t have worried as I loved this very unusual CD. The best way to describe it is: imagine a GASbook song with skilled lyrics but sung in a fragmented fashion, with lots of well-played, appropriate, piano coming between lines and words of song, deep unsettling chords, then scampering arpeggios, then sitar-like sounds from direct contact with the hammers. The piano was ‘prepared’ on some numbers, which means played unconventionally, touching bits not normally used. ‘ Melodic free jazz exploration’ is the phrase used on the insert to explain the music, which is a good description, although I don’t know how ‘free’ as the listener wonders about what happens in the editing process, if there is one.

The Fergus McCreadie Trio @ the Eyemouth Hippodrome – March 31.

Fergus McCreadie (piano); David Bowden (bass); Stephen Henderson (drums).

(Review by Kay).

The remarkably talented Fergus McCreadie Trio captivated their audience at the Eyemouth Hippodrome on Saturday night with a selection of tracks from their debut album Turas. McCreadie’s compositions fuse jazz with the rich heritage of Scottish traditional music.  Tracks inspired by a deep connection with people and places took us from steadfast Old Harbours to the wild open spaces of Mull. The dram at Ardbeg and the jazz-imbued raucous ceilidh from The Set setting many a foot tapping. 

Sage words from Jordan

(Preview by Russell).

Sheila Jordan studied music with Lennie Tristano and Charles Mingus, wrote lyrics to music by Charlie Parker, married Bird’s pianist Duke Jordan, and went on to develop a voice and double bass duo exploring the musical language of bebop and beyond. This weekend Jordan makes a welcome return to Sage Gateshead as one of the headline performers at this year’s Gateshead International Jazz Festival.

On Saturday afternoon in Sage Gateshead’s Barbour Room Jordan presents a masterclass with accompaniment from pianist Pete Churchill. Together they will critique songs brought along by a number of lucky participants and one of them could be you! The event begins at 3:00pm, £12.50 admission - this also applies to interested observers - and it is a rare opportunity to listen to, and learn from one, of the legendary figures in jazz.

Ray Dales @ Dormans Club, Middlesbrough - March 29

Well-known alto sax player Ray Dales brought his quartet as the guest band to Tees Hot Club's Guest Band Night at Dormans Club Middlesbrough on March 29 with Rick Laughlin on keyboard Peter Ayton on bass and Stuie Ellerton on drums completing the lineup. 

The band started well with an up-tempo version of Secret Love then continued with a few familiar tunes,  It Could Happen To You,  Just Friends and When Sunny Gets Blue before showing what class musicians all four really are by playing  great versions of Gerry Mulligan's North Atlantic Run

and Sonny Rollins Pent-Up House with terrific solos from both Ray and Rick. After many more well-known numbers, they finished off the night with the ever popular St Thomas. 

Ron Hampton

CD Review: Alcyona Mick & Tori Freestone - Criss Cross

Alcyona Mick (piano); Tori Freestone (tenor, soprano, flute); Brigitte Beraha (vocals (tracks 1 & 8)

(Review by Steve H)

Alcyona Mick and Tori Freestone had been friends for years performing together in various outfits including the London Jazz Orchestra, but it was in 2015 they came together at the behest of the Manchester Jazz Festival’s artistic director Steve Mead. 2018 sees the launch of the pair’s debut album Criss Cross.

Beginning with one of two tracks featuring vocalist Brigitte Beraha, Hermetica gets the album off to a flying start as the wordless singing is complemented perfectly by the bird-like flute of Freestone and the punchy piano of Mick.  Charmed Life, a ‘Monkish’ style ballad, features Freestone at her most lyrical.

MSJ are back on the Sunniside of the Street

It was only a few days ago that I posted the sad news the Potter's Wheel in Sunniside had closed its doors for good leaving the long-established Maine Street Jazzmen without a Thursday night gig.

But, you can't keep a good band down and as one door closes, rather than another one slamming you in the face, on this occasion, another one opens.

Hello Sunniside Club.

The band resume activities at this new venue on Thursday, April 12 at 8:30pm. It's free and not far from the Potters so it shouldn't present a problem for the band's followers.

Full address is: Sunniside Club, Hollywell Lane, off Sunniside Rd., Sunniside, Gateshead*, NE16 5NJ. 0191 4887347.

Lance

*Actual postal address is Newcastle but don't go there!

An i reporter's Easter treat: John Coltrane, Carlton Kirby, and the cobbles of the Tour of Flanders

As someone who likes jazz and cycling, I found Matt Butler's article in this morning's i newspaper interesting; not least in the way in which Butler managed to combine the two.
It contained some memorable quotes...
Lance.
Read.

CD Review: Flying Horse Big Band - The Bat Swings

(Review by Lance)

The Flying Horse Big Band comprises students on the University of Central Florida's Jazz Studies program and this is their fifth album under the direction of Bruce Wayne, sorry, I mean Adam West. No I don't, I mean Jeff Rupert.

Rupert has enlisted the services of arrangers Michael Philip Mossman, Mark Taylor, Harry Allen, Per Danielson to do the charts as well as chipping in with a couple himself.

The album is riddled with sound solos and that's no joke!

Batmobile to Airport, written by Nelson Riddle, and arranged by Mossman features Dautch on baritone and Hannon on tenor whilst Waszner and Herrera sock it to one of Batman's arch enemies in Batman Riddles the Riddler, another composition by Nelson Riddle (no relation!) and arranged by Mark Taylor.

Radio Tyneside's Geordie Hour

John Taylor sent me this which, unfortunately, I was unable to post until after the program started. However, it should be available online via the link (below in red) after the show is over.

Lance.

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On the Geordie Hour today1st April 5pm on Radio Tyneside:

Hicks & Goulbourn, The Counterfeit Sixties Band, Benny Graham, Cheryl Tweedy, Alex Glasgow, Alan Hull, Marvin,Welch & Farrar, Lanterns on the Lake, West Jesmond Rhythm Kings, Charley Foskett. More tracks from Sting's Last Ship musical. Guess the Geordie link spot. And Ripyard Cudling's tale of the million-ton tanker. 
5pm Radio Tyneside. On Hospedia, 1575am and online worldwide at  www.radiotyneside.co.uk

Also available on Northumberland Hospital Radio, Radio South Tyneside and Auckland Hospital Radio.