Promenading Porter.

(Previews by “Radio” Russell).

Friday 8 August, Radio 3, 10:15pm, Gregory Porter**** joins Clare Teal in BBC Proms 2014. The late night Prom is a Battle of the Bands. The Count Pearson Proms Band slugs it out with the Duke Pearson Proms Band. Pianist James Pearson’s day job as Artistic Director at Ronnie Scott’s takes a back seat as he goes into bat for Basie, similarly Clare Teal’s MD, pianist Grant Windsor, takes guard for Ellington. If you want to be there in person join the queue outside the Royal Albert Hall – admission is ‘on the night’ at £5.00. If you can’t be there, listen to Radio 2 or Radio 3, then on Sunday 17 August watch BBC television for a delayed broadcast of the occasion.

CD Review: Vincent Lyn - Live in New York City.

Vincent Lyn (pno); Melissa Aldana (ten); Pablo Menares (bs); Shirazette Tinnin (perc).

Vincent Lyn, I'm told, has been a movie star, pop music icon, kickboxing champion and one of the hottest male models in the world. But what, the blurb goes on, makes him complete is practising his family's Ling Gar style of kung fu. Jackie Chan called him "One of the best fighters I have ever worked with." A Ph.D in martial arts as well as a few kickboxing world titles in the 1980s is surely enough to prevent band members (and critics) saying "You played a bum note Vince!"

On the strength of this album, recorded last year at Carnegie Hall, such a scenario is unlikely to arise.

RIP Brian Innes.

Brian Innes, amongst many other things, percussionist with the original Temperance Seven, died on July 14 age 86.

Possibly the most unusual band ever to hit the pop and the jazz scene Innes himself remained a character even after death.

At his request, the music played at the crematorium was Benny Goodman's Smoke Gets In Your Eyes!

We may never see his like again...

RIP.
Obituary.
Lance

Papanosh @ The Bridge July 27

Raphaël Quenehen (alto & soprano sax); Quentin Ghomari (trumpet, trombone); Sebastian Palis (accordion, keyboards); Thibault Cellier (bass); Jérémie Piazza (drums).

(Review by Steve H/Photo courtesy of Ken Drew).

The city of Newcastle has quite an affinity with French players, the local football team seems to be made up almost entirely of  French speakers. For the second time in almost as many weeks a band from across the water graced us with their presence and what a joy it was. The upstairs room at The Bridge was adequately filled but it should have been packed to the rafters for this wonderfully inventive and creative band.  

Newbiggin Music Festival July 26/27

The jazz element of the festival began at the bandstand on Saturday afternoon. An hour long session from Keith Stephen's Hot Club Trio featured a surprise guest singer. Mr Frank Bertorelli from the nearby caffé sang 3 swing numbers and danced his way round the plaza to an appreciative audience. Caroline Irwin was also featured on a few numbers. It was a shame they did not do a second set

Sunday evening saw the Vieux Carré Jazzmen playing outside the Old Ship Inn, just along the promenade from the bandstand. Its not often they play outside but Brian's banjo blended well with Phil Rutherford's Sousa. The Old Ship was the pub where many years ago the late Ronnie Robinson played for a while with the then newly reformed VCJ. (If I remember correctly the band stopped playing for a while after "Gassy" died)  A small audience of about 40 enjoyed a pleasant evening of old time jazz and ale. Lets hope the festival returns next year and is not just a "one off".

John T.

https://www.facebook.com/Caffebertorelli?rf=588317001229171

Papanosh @ The Bridge - July 27

Raphael Quenehen (saxes); Quentin Ghomari (tpt/tmb); Sebastian Palis (keys); Thibault Cellier (bs); Jeremie Piazza (dms).

(Photo courtesy of Ken Drew).

This isn't the official review of last night's gig - just a few observations!

After spending the last three weeks watching Le Tour de France I couldn't not pick up on this visit, courtesy of JNE and Splinter, by the French band Papanosh. to Le Pont.

I'm pleased I did. C'est magnifique is totally inadequate. This was Tres Formidable - Le Tour sans les bicyclette!

The frantic ensembles - the mad dash for the line. The solos, the ascent of Le Tourmalet and the 80kph descents. The balladic moments - the sadness at the departures of Froome, Cavendish and Contador. The drum solos equated to the pile-ups.

But this wasn't just about this years Tour it was all of them - Bartali/Coppi, Lemond/Fignon. Hinault, Anquetil, Nibali (of course) and Uncle Tom Simpson and all...

Vive Le Tour - Vive Le Splinter.

Lance (not Armstrong!).

Review by Steve H to follow!

Night and Day, it’s Jazz on Radio 3

Composer of the Week (Radio 3, 12 noon, Monday to Friday) features Cole Porter. Throughout the week some of the great interpreters of his music can be heard including Bing, Billie, Ella, Frank and Fred. On Monday (July 28) Paul Jones (Radio 2, 7:00pm) includes a set by the Heritage Blues Orchestra. Later on Monday (Radio 3, 11:00pm) Jazz on 3 presents four emerging acts at this year’s Manchester Jazz Festival. At the end of the week In Tune at BBC at the Quay (Radio 3, Friday 1 August, 4:30pm) comes live from Glasgow. Gwilym Simcock is one of Sean Rafferty’s guests. Over on Radio 2 there is another chance to hear Friday Night is Music Night (8:00pm) originally broadcast in May as part of Radio 2’s guitar season. During the interval (8:45pm) Martin Taylor and Martin Simpson discuss their guitar heroes. Set your alarm or stay up all night to hear Insight – New Orleans (BBC 6 Music, 4:00am, Saturday), the musical story of the Big Easy.     

Russell.

CD (s) Review: Nina Simone - Original Album Series.

The Amazing Nina Simone  (1959); Nina Simone at Town Hall (1959); Forbidden Fruit (1960); Nina Simone Sings Ellington (1962); Folksy Nina (1964).

(Review by Debra M.)

This 5 CD collection  is a re-issue of Nina Simone’s early recordings with her first big label Colpix Records, which followed her debut LP ‘Little Boy Blue’ with Bethlehem Records.  Her impact had been such that, unusually, Colpix  gave her complete creative control.

DVD Review: Arrows Into Infinity - Charles Lloyd

(Review by Lance).

A fascinating and compelling documentary about the iconic saxophonist and flautist Charles Lloyd. Now one of jazz's elder statesmen, Lloyd's 1966 album Forest Flower was, like A Kind of Blue, a work that found its way into the lives and record collections of listeners outside of the jazz world.

Arrows Into Infinity follows Lloyd, in his own words and through the words of associates past and present such as Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, Ornette Coleman (there's footage of them shooting pool together), Jason Moran, Eric Harland, Geri Allen and many more.

Thomas Brown Affair @ Hoochie Coochie July 25.

Kenny Thomas (vcl); Wayne Brown (keys); Frank Felix (bs); Sophie Alloway (dms).
(Review by Lance).

"It's not Jazz" said Warren as I propped myself up against a tall table. It was a sell out gig and high chairs had been removed to allow the audience space to breathe. A guy built like a BSH positioned himself in front of me so I relocated to a spot nearer the stage albeit further from the bar!

As Warren said, it wasn't jazz. It was Soul, Funk, Rock it was... hang about, weren't Soul, Funk and Rock genres that had their roots in Jazz? 

If it wasn't Jazz, well, it was close enough for me and the London Jazz Festival where The Thomas Brown Affair (Wayne Brown, Kenny Thomas - get it?) are playing  on November 21.

More importantly, tonight they took Hoochie apart!