Lindsay Hannon Plus @ Hoochie Coochie

Lindsay Hannon (vcl); Alan Law (pno); John Pope (bs); Mark Robertson (dms).

Tonight was a tough call - Paul Booth Organ Trio at the Corner House, The Puppini Sisters at The Sage or Lindsay Hannon Plus at Hoochie.

In the end, on a cold and windy night, the proximity of the Metro to the latter venue prevailed so Lindsay it was!

Looking tall and tan and young and lovely she didn't sing Girl From Ipanema but opted instead for Herbie Hancock's What If I Don't? setting the mood for an evening of unbridled pleasure.

There Will Never Be Another You was a clever arrangement and featured one of many superb solos from Alan Law that were a highlight of the evening. John Pope too had his say not least in the intro to Night in Tunisia. Mark Robertson also impressed.

As for the voice - what can I say 'cept this was the best I can recall hearing her. The vocal mood swings, the sultry sound on Blue Motel Room, the cynicism of So Long Big Time, the swinginess of It's All Right With Me, Lullaby of Birdland and In Walked Bud, the amazing treatment of Basin Street Blues and my number one from her vast repertoire - Why Try To Change Me Now? Change it she does! successfully varying the tempo from the slow and dreamy original to a bouncy swing and back again.

An evening that could possibly be the best Thursday yet at Hoochie.
Hoochie photos.

Lance.

Maine Street Jazzmen @ Rosie Malone's and a surprise.

Olive Rudd (vcl); Herbie Hudson (tmb/hca/vcl); Jim McBriarty (alt/clt/vcl); George Richardson (pno); Alan Rudd (bs); Mike Humble (dms).

Well jazz is the sound of surprise and no one was more surprised than me when the Maine Street Jazzmen unleashed their version of Mobile - a long time favourite of mine since I first heard Ray Burns (not the harmonica bluesman!) sing it back in 1955 when it charted at number 4.

The swinging big band accompaniment on the disc (78rpm) was by Eric Jupp and his Orchestra and, if I remember correctly, it may have included a very young Tubby Hayes in the sax section. A great number well worthy of revival and even if Herbie didn't quite get the lyric as per the disc it was still the highlight of today's session.

Earlier, Olive had sang, rather inappropriately, Blue Skies - a colour they certainly weren't - Keepin' Out of Mischief Now, I Double Dare You and later My Blue Heaven.

Jimmy Mack sang If I Could Be With You and it was an all round good afternoon but oh that song - the memories (not to be repeated here!).

Lance.

Xmas Dance for Peace - Cluny 2. Friday Dec. 9

Not certain if there will be any jazz here but it sounds a fun thing so I've posted it more or less as Fred sent it - Lance.

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This Friday (9th Dec) will be the 25th! annual Christmas Dance for Peace and So and we have a great line up for ya:

Geezer - a new group formed specially for the event featuring musicians from a number of local bands old and new such as the Bagdaddies, Ashram and the Backyard Rhythm Orchestra. Definite fun!

Side Cafe Orkestar - Playing trad dance tunes from around Europe and beyond.

The Backyard Rhythm Orchestra - Big energetic party music with a revolutionary twist, this is the bands first gig in Newcastle since June and it is set to fire up the floor big time! 

As is the tradition, there will also be a turn from the prize winning rapper dance group The Newcastle Kingsmen.

Details:

Cluny 2

Friday - 9/12/11 

7-30pm to 12 midnight

Door damage £5...

Please forward to anyone you think will be interested in this event...

Peace, love and happy winter festivities,

Fred

Le Bon Vivre

Tony Bennett posted one of his paintings on FB and I thought 'our gang' might also like to view it complete with Tony's comments.
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"We're closing out our European trip here in Paris, and I want to share with you a painting I made a few years ago that came to mind. Around the holidays this City of Lights is truly filled with the spirit of the season, and I hope you are too! Joyeuses fêtes!"
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Certainly saves on a thousand words.
Lance.

Another Sunday Gig!

The ubiquitous Peter Gilligan and PG3 are at the Ale Taster Pub on Low Fell High St. this coming Sunday (Dec. 11).With Pete on keys PG3 are completed by Paul Grainger (bass) and Mark Williams on guitar. This is hopefully going to be a regular slot with, according to Pete, various bands rotating each week. start time is 7:30pm.

Admission is free and the ale is real.

Lance.

Customs House Big Band. Open Rehearsal New Crown, South Shields. Dec 6th.

For tonight's recital the band were in close confinement in a corner of the main bar, however, the usual suspects were not intimidated by the surroundings and played with their normal skill and finesse. The first set began with Out Of Nowhere, Gordon Goodwin's High Maintenance and a laid back Nestico version of Sunny Side Of The Street.

Second set started with The 12 Days Of Christmas a la Kenton, followed by Green Dolphin Street, I Love Paris by the Cole Porter (not a coal porter (( Ronnie Scott 1975)) ) Basie's Straight Ahead, and a beautiful Harlem Nocturne. The ever consistent Miss Lambert (Ruth) entertained us with Santa Baby, Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend, I've Got The World On A String and Fly Me To The Moon. This was all enjoyed by a small but appreciative band of followers, about the same number that watched the Chelsea match at the other end of the bar but we got the best deal. Next week is another show with different numbers so get there if you can and hear big band music at its best for the price of a pint.

Miles.

Mingus on Mingus Project.

Mail from Valeria Rios.
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I have received many inquiries concerning relationship between Mingus on Mingus and Sue Mingus:
- Is Sue affiliated to the Mingus on Mingus project?
- Why is Sue not supporting the project?
- Why there is no information on the project on the Official Charles Mingus Website and Facebook page?
- Why is Sue not listed as an interviewee?
To that end Kevin Ellington Mingus have written the following Open Letter, here is the link   http://orangethenblue.com/open-letter/
We have 10 days left and we've got some support from you, please, we need to push harder and as you'll notice from the letter we are working quite independently. Now more than ever we need to spread the word to make this project real.
Thank you!!!
Valeria

Customs House Big Band @ The New Crown tonight.

The Customs House Big Band and Ruth Lambert are in the main bar of the New Crown Hotel, Mowbray Rd., South Shields tonight and the next two Tuesdays. Admission is free and includes vocals from Ruth Lambert.

7:30pm start.

Lance.

Music While You Drive

This snippet was on one of the early morning TV news programmes. Apparently a survey recently carried out indicated that drivers listening to Jazz whilst driving are more likely to be breaking the speed limit. The reason given being that because of the complexity of the music it requires more analytical thought and the driver might not realise that he/she is speeding.

Those listening to pop/rock, the survey said, are most likely to have an accident and the safest drivers are those who listen to classical music.

So think carefully before slotting that Ellington CD into the player it could mean 3 points on your licence - unless of course it's his version of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite which will presumably slow you down.

Lance.

PS: I did once get done for speeding so maybe the survey has some merit!

Live Wire Unplugged @ The Cherry Tree

Karen Harding,vcl; Andrew Garner, pno/vcl; Richard Dudley, gtr; Stuart Davies, bs.

Atlantic Prawn and Crayfish Cocktail, Whisky Marie Rose and Buttered Brown Bread. This seemed as a good a place as any to start after my aperitif of Black Sheep ale. Both were delicious.
Being the Christmas Fayre menu I felt obliged to order Roast Turkey Breast, Roasted Roots, Sage and Onion, Roast Gravy and Mulled Cranberry Compote and it was a wise choice the unfortunate turkey just fell apart under my knife and went down a treat. What could possibly follow that save Home Made Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce. I'm not quite sure how a dish served in a restaurant can be described as 'home made' but nevertheless it too hit the taste buds right on the nose.
Which brings me to the music of which there isn't a lot to say.
Karen Harding is young, attractive and has, I think, a good voice. I say 'I think' as the sound could have been better and at times it was difficult to hear her above the accompaniment. This difficulty was exacerbated by the Christmas party bonhomie and the exploding crackers.
Carole King, Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, Adele and Alicia Keys were some of the contemporary singer/songwriters who were represented along with the inevitable Summertime.
I could only stay for the first set so hopefully the sound improved for the second.

Lance.