Julija Jacenaite & Alexys de Alfaro @ Jazz Cafe Mezzanine - January 22

(Review and photo of Irene Birkett & James Birkett by Russell/Photos of Julija Jacenaite & Alexys de Alfaro courtesy of Mike Tilley)

Julija Jacenaite (vocals, piano); Alexys de Alfaro (guitar, vocals) + Irene Birkett (vocals); James Birkett (guitar)

It was to be an afternoon of four quarters. Vocalist Julija Jacenaite opened on piano with original material from her days back home in Lithuania. Part classical, part playful composition, this unexpected selection revealed another side to JJ. 

JAZZ NORTH EXPANDS JAZZ CAMP FOR GIRLS GIVING MORE GIRLS THE OPPORTUNITY TO FLOURISH UNDER FEMALE ROLE MODELS

(Press release)

Following the success of 2019’s Jazz Camp for Girls, Jazz North has made the camp bigger for 2020 and is taking it to more places across the north of England including Sage Gateshead and The Northern Jazz Centre in Doncaster.

Overall, six weekend workshops will take place in February and March in Gateshead, Greater Manchester, Huddersfield, Cumbria, Lancaster and Doncaster aiming to offer an unforgettable first experience for girls aged between 9 and 15 years. They will have the opportunity to flourish under the mentorship of female role models, discover improvisation and playing in a band, and to develop their confidence. Now, instead of just one day, the camp will run for a weekend, and instead of just one weekend, the camp will take place on three weekends across the north, giving more girls the opportunity to take part.

A Humble stumble

Back in  September 2012 we posted a photo of the Ronnie Scott Band with the late Derek Humble on alto sax mentioning that one Steve Owen was looking for photos of Humble who was born in Wheatley Hill, Co. Durham.

Now, 7 years on, Harry Monty stumbled over the post and sent me these cracking photos of Derek Humble with the Clarke-Boland Band taken at Hammersmith Odeon during Jazz Expo 69.

The band photo shows Jimmy Woode (bass); Tony Coe, Johnny Griffin (tenor saxes); Derek Humble (alto sax); Ronnie Scott (tenor sax); Sahib Shihab (bari sax). In the background can be (just) seen Kenny Clarke, Kenny Clare (drums) and Nat Peck (trombone).

Many thanks Harry, I'll see if I can contact Steve to bring these excellent pics to his attention.

Lance

Sunday Jazz @ Middlesbrough Town Hall - January 19

(Review by Russell)

A jazz gig in Newcastle beckoned on Sunday evening but first there was the small matter of four bands from north of the border performing at an afternoon showcase event on Teesside. Sunday Jazz is a monthly session featuring three bands drawn from across the north of England and further afield. January's edition presented no fewer than four bands, all of them from Scotland.

Top of the bill - and last on stage - was Tom Bancroft's In Common. Drummer/percussionist Bancroft was introduced as belonging to one of Scotland's musical clans. Gina Rae represented the Raes (Tom and Gina are a couple, on and off stage). Bandleader Bancroft spoke in glowing terms of the younger generation(s) of fine jazz musicians emerging on the Scottish scene, many of them award winning musicians. In Common comprises six experienced practitioners from the worlds of folk, jazz and Indian classical music; Bancroft, guitarist Graham Stephen (no stranger to north east audiences), Gina Rae (voice), Sophie Bancroft (voice) and two friends from India - Sharat Chandra Srivastava (violin) and Gyan Singh (tabla). 

RIP Jimmy Heath

As reported in my previous post, it was announced that tenor sax legend Jimmy Heath passed away earlier that day (Jan. 19). JazzMain played Heath's composition For Minors Only in memory of the great man. That piece was just one of the many tunes he wrote. The Chet Baker/Art Pepper album, Playboy's seven tracks include five by Jimmy Heath, For Minors Only being one of them.

On the J.J. Johnson album pictured above he more than holds his own with big hitters like J.J. and Brownie.

JazzMain @ the Globe - Jan. 19

Nick Gould (tenor sax); Steve Grossart (piano); Iain Harkness (double bass); Kevin Dorrian (drums) 

(Review by Lance)

At last! The mystery has been solved! The answer to the eternal question that has bugged musos for over 50 years. 

Why was it that Billie Joe McCallister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge? We got the answer tonight - he'd heard Nick Gould blowing the tune (Ode to Billie Joe) and that was it, Billie Joe threw his saxophone into the muddy waters beneath the bridge and forgot to unhook the sling! In Billie Joe's defence, if I'd had my sax with me I might have done the same.

Prior to Billie Joe's ode, Horace Silver's Hippest Cat in Hollywood set out the JazzMain stall. Nick Gould can hold his own with anyone and his fellow groovers from yon side of Hadrian's fence are with him all the way.

CD Review: Brian Scanlon - Brain Scan

(Review by Lance).

Brian Scanlon, a first call studio musician for over 32 years, is perhaps better known as first tenor sax in Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band and in particular for his tenor solo on The Jazz Police a chart that has pride of place in just about every big band's pad.

Amazingly, with such a pedigree, this is his first album as leader and he makes the most of it. As a soloist we already knew his standing but here he adds his skills as a composer, arranger and producer to his bag of tricks.

Transfer news

Paul Edis posted the following message on Facebook today:

"In March I’m going to be moving to London.

I studied and lived in London previously, moving back to the North East in 2006 after college. Since then I’ve had so many amazing experiences and opportunities living in the area and working with an amazing array of people, but it’s time for a change.

I’ll still be back to Newcastle for various gigs and things I have in the diary, so Northerners - you ain’t seen the back of me yet.

Londoners - looking forward to meeting you and hopefully becoming part of the scene!"
----- 

This will be a devastating loss to the northeast music scene  -  albeit a long overdue one - and we at BSH wish him every success. Next stop New York City?

Lance

(Photo courtesy of Ken Drew)

Preview: DJam 2020!

(Preview by Russell)

DJam Swing Dance Festival 2020 is almost here! Next weekend over three days (Friday 24-Sunday 26January) Lindy Hop comes to Durham. Dancers from all four corners will descend on historic Durham City to participate in a bewildering array of events. Taster sessions include 'Classic Charleston' and 'Double Time Shag', you can practice your 'Fancy Footwork' and 'Rhythm Variations' and there will be social dance events, a welcome dance, a Masquerade Ball, a farewell dance and an after party. It's going to be non-stop!  

RIP Geoff Castle

LondonJazzNews reports the death of former Nucleus keyboardist Geoff Castle on January 15.

Nucleus played Newcastle Jazz Festival on several occasions as well as other gigs in the area. I don't recall if Castle was with the band although, given that his tenure with Nucleus is listed as 1974 - 1982 and, according to my festival programmes, Nucleus' NJF gigs were later, maybe he didn't.