Thank You From Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2022

(Press release)

A huge thank you to all of the musicians, partners, audiences, funders, staff and volunteers that supported this year’s Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music. 

We had a great edition and were absolutely delighted to be visited by BBC Radio 3 ‘Freeness’ with Corey Mwamba, you can hear excerpts of some live performances alongside interviews this coming Saturday 29th October at Midnight and also repeated through the streaming player.
Click Here For The Link

Tonight @ Hoochie - Aaron Liddard album launch. On stage 8:30pm.

Tonight at Hoochie Coochie, Aaron Liddard, supremely talented saxophonist, launches his debut album Nylon Man. Blues & Soul have called it “A must-hear album”. This event will be FREE so get yourselves down.

To give you an idea of the class act that he is just take a look at the musicians on the album:

Jam packed @ The Black Swan - Oct. 18

Best intentions...detailed note taking, name that tune, detective work (What's your name?*), a return trip to the bar (supporting the jazz economy). The Black Swan's fortnightly (Tuesdays) jam session in the basement of Newcastle Arts Centre is such that you dare not miss it, you never know who might turn up. As this evening's session got underway the room was rather quiet. The house trio - Messrs Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger and, direct from the Royal Albert Hall and a VIP trip to Ronnie Scott's, Michael Mather - set the standard before the first of what would turn out to be countless sitters-in took to the floor. 

Steve Gadd at WDR STUDIO 4 | WDR BIG BAND | CD Release September 23, '22

A short taster of an album to be reviewed shortly. In the mean time this clip should whet your appetite for a tremendous recording already released - Lance

Livestream: Larry Goldings @ the 606 - Oct. 18

Larry Goldings (piano/keys).

A livestream from the 606. Solo piano by one of the top guys from across the pond - Larry Goldings. 

The 50 minutes set was interesting, albeit somewhat meandering, and it didn't totally grab me. One thing was for sure, there wouldn't be any stride piano played on this gig! Nevertheless, his voicings were individual, reflective and often put me into a 'guess the tune' situation, particularly the opening number which turned out to be Bacharach's Close to You. The Mountain added a touch of the South African high life and there was also some Duke in the form of Purple Gazelle which, I guess, captured the composer's intent.

Benny Waters in Jazzwise - November 2022

The November issue of Jazzwise, like its previous editions, probably includes more words per page than any other jazz mag since time began. Commendable as this is, before purchasing, a visit to Specsavers is essential for those of us who are below 20-20 vision.

The font size is only marginally bigger than the bottom lines of those charts that the opticians challenge you to read. As such, this is a magazine possibly aimed at the younger fan who has taken his mother's advice and hasn't gone blind (Pete Long joke!) which may be why I don't always recognise the names.

However, a name I most certainly recognised in the current issue was that of the legendary sax/clarinet pioneer Benny Waters.

Sue Ferris-Steve Summers Quartet: Two of a Mind @ Blaydon Jazz Club - Oct. 17

(© Roly Veitch)

Steve Summers (alto sax); Sue Ferris (baritone sax); Andy Champion (double bass); Rob Walker (drums)

Steve Summers had an idea. He thought a Gerry Mulligan-Paul Desmond set would go down well with audiences and for some months he gently nudged, if not badgered, Sue Ferris, suggesting they should step out of the Strictly Smokin' Big Band's reeds to front a piano-less quartet. A first outing at the Globe in Newcastle more than met expectations and further gigs would surely follow. Fast forward a few months to a Monday evening at the Black Bull, Blaydon and a renewal of their partnership.

Album review: corto.alto – Not For Now (Worm Discs, 2021)

Following his nomination for the 2022 Mercury Prize there is greater interest in the discography of Fergus McCreadie. Having already bought his three piano trio albums (Turas, Cairn, Forest Floor) my searches brought me to corto.alto a 25 minute EP whereon McCreadie’s talents are enrolled in the service of Liam Shortall’s compositions. As you will see from the cast list below, this is no stripped-back piano trio, in fact, at times, it’s a mini-big band, if that’s not a contradiction.

Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ the Globe, Newcastle - Oct. 16

(© Ken Drew)

Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax, soprano sax, flute); Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Steve Hanley (drums) + Ferg Kilsby (trumpet, flugel).

The fourth and final chapter of this ongoing north east saga drew to a close at the Globe where a goodly throng were witness to what most, indeed probably all, rated as the gig of the year so far.

Having read my worthy constituent's glowing reviews of the previous three gigs I felt complacent. This will be easy. I'll just steal a sentence or two here and there, shuffle them around a bit then job well done!

However, as in all good stories there's always an unexpected twist in the final chapter. We all know that the boy will get the girl and the killer will be unmasked but which boy and which villain did the dastardly deed? As they say in grand opera, it isn't over until the fat lady sings.

Tonite (Monday 17 Oct.)! The Sue Ferris-Steve Summers Quartet - 'Two of a Mind' @ Blaydon Jazz Club

The Black Bull on Bridge Street in Blaydon is the place to be this evening to hear some Gerry Mulligan and Paul Desmond. At a recent Newcastle Jazz Co-op concert Sue Ferris and Steve Summers received rave reviews when they got together to play the music of two of the towering figures in modern jazz. This evening they'll be joined by Andy Champion (double bass) and Rob Walker (drums). It's an eight o'clock start, £7.00. at the door. See you there! Russell