Jo Harrop's Headin' North

Press release:

Fever: Jo Harrop sings Peggy Lee makes its Paris debut at the Sunside jazz club, rue des Lombards, Paris on Thursday 26th October. This remarkable show celebrates the sultriest songstress of them all, with special guest Tony Kofi (alto sax) and the show's creator Alex Webb (piano/MD) providing support for the vocalist that bebop spoken here described as ‘a singing sensation!'.

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We say thank you for that but, for those of you living in the NE postcode area, before setting off to Paris you can hear Jo at several venues closer to home.

July 26: Cherry Tree Restaurant, Jesmond – 7:30pm. No cover charge.

July 27: Jazz Cafe, Newcastle - 8pm. £8 (£6 in advance).

July 28: Gala Theatre, Durham – 1pm. £5. (SOLD OUT!)

July 28: Ushaw College, nr. Durham - 7:30 pm. £7.
Lance.

The Scottish Swing Orchestra & Brass Broadway Chorus with Kate Graham & Matt Corner @ The Gala Theatre - July 9

(Review by Russell)

This Gala concert, one of the set piece events of this year’s Durham Brass Festival, attracted a full house on a sultry summer’s evening. All seats in the stalls and circle were occupied as the seventy-five or so performers filed onto the stage. The Brass Broadway Chorus (approximately sixty strong) assumed their predetermined positions, some nudging into the wings with the fifteen-piece Scottish Swing Orchestra assembling out front.

A fast moving Broadway revue featured most of the performers most of the time. Moving on and off stage wasn’t practicable (the show’s vocal stars the exception) and it appeared to be as hot as mid-summer in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen. 

Sotavento Big Band @ The Globe - July 9

Across the road, at the Metro Arena, the American punk rock band Blink 182 had attracted a host of fans, many of whom were having pre-concert drinks at The Globe. On stage at the Jazz Coop HQ, the Argentinian jazz tango group known as the Sotavento Big Band were ready to unleash their unique brand of swing.

The SBB replaces the conventional trombone section with three tenor saxes and the trumpet section with one tenor sax and two clarinets. It sounded strange hearing Basie's Splanky without the brass but by the time Jumping at the Woodside had been and gone our ears were accustomed to it.

CD Review: Tara Minton - The Tides Of Love

(Review by Ann Alex)

This is a collection of 10 original songs by Australian Ms Minton, featuring jazz played on the harp (as in Wales, not as in harmonica) and I was amazed by what a great jazz instrument this harp turned out to be. A whole new perspective on instrumentation! Ms Minton says [the CD] ‘is a musical memoir of my London journey, both as a musician and as a person.’ The songs celebrate the city of London, tell of the low and high points of various relationships, and the final song rejoices in love fulfilled with the husband she met at a gig in London. Not all the songs are jazz-like as there are elements of folk and soul too, with lots of space for improvisation. A very enjoyable CD, with good lyrics and plenty of hooks for the listener to latch on to.

Book review: Dave Frishberg - My Dear Departed Past

Dave Frishberg admits he's a nostalgia buff. Come to think of it, aren't we all? The musicians, the sportsmen, the movies, the books we love are much better than today's crop. Not always true, of course, it's just that we haven't had time to grow and love the present compared to the years we've dwelt upon our past memories and, anyway tomorrow, today becomes the past.

At 84, Dave Frishberg has a lot of memories yet, despite his fondness for the past, as a pianist, singer, songwriter, composer, he can still hold his head high today.

My Dear Departed Past contains a host of memories such as learning boogie-woogie from his brother, reading Mezzrow's Really the Blues, the gradual progression from playing with high school dance bands to bigger names. To playing with Al Cohn and Zoot Sims, and Count Basie. Difficulties with Anita O'Day and Benny Goodman and much more.

The book is studded with anecdotes. Some sad, some revealing and a lot which are very funny indeed.

Lunchtime with Colin at the Black Bull (and elsewhere)

(Preview by Russell)

Colin Aitchison’s back in town. Bebop Spoken Here’s trumpet playing Hong Kong-based  Geordie ex-pat correspondent will be around for a week or so playing gigs here and there - see here, and as in recent years, Colin will be joined by fellow Hong Kong resident Franco Valussi. Colin is an authority on Louis Armstrong and his contemporaries, Franco is a virtuoso clarinetist, and on their gig at the Black Bull in Blaydon they will reunite with Cumbria-based reedsman Steve Andrews, Blaydon Jazz Club’s Roly Veitch playing guitar and, no doubt, singing one or two songs, and, on this session, the redoubtable bassist Alan Rudd.

It should be noted that this concert will be on a Saturday at one o’clock in the afternoon. The date? July 15. Colin’s schedule and the availability of the Black Bull’s in-demand music lounge dictates that July’s jazz concert will be something of a departure for Blaydon Jazz Club. Saturday afternoon could well appeal to many, we’ll see. Why not make a trip to the Black Bull? The pub is listed year in year out in Camra’s Good Beer Guide (Black Sheep and Deuchar’s are regulars on the bar), and there is ample parking just off Bridge Street. Alternatively, Blaydon Bus Station is but five minutes’ walk (frequent services to Gateshead, Newcastle and the Tyne Valley) and here’s a bonus if you’re travelling from Newcastle…why not take the train up the Tyne Valley line? Depart Newcastle 11:54, arrive Blaydon 12:06, returning 16:11, arriving Newcastle Central Station 16:27. Colin and the boys will be playing two sets, the first set starting at one o’clock. Admission on the door £5.00.                      

Russell.

The Northern Monkey Brass Band @ The Cumberland Arms - July 7

(Review by Russell)

The Cumberland Arms, built c1860, hasn’t had a lick of paint since…c1860. Fridays on the Terrace is something of an institution. If it’s summer (occasionally it is!) the hostelry’s patrons sit outside on the terrace, a terrace overlooking the lower Ouseburn’s post-industrial landscape. Folk like it here – don’t tell anyone otherwise any old Tom, Dick or Monkey will turn up.

 This particular Friday a cartload* of monkeys assembled to the side of the imbibers. This barrel* of monkeys was remarkably quiet…perhaps they had eaten one banana too many. They appeared to be attracted to, indeed fascinated with, gleaming, shining pieces of brass. At around six thirty – aka Northern Monkey Brass Band time – our troop* of tree dwellers piped up. Blowing bold as, Graham Hardy, Chief Monkey, appeared left field, meanwhile down below in a field (literally), Top C, Alistair Lord unleashed a volley on the unsuspecting imbibers. On cue, David Gray pumped up the volume standing on the roof of the Cumberland Arms. David! David! Come down now, before you fall down you silly boy! From all points, monkeys converged upon the Cumberland’s patrons. Surrounded, the Friday night crowd succumbed to the Northern Monkey Brass Band’s infectious brand of N’Awlins’ jazz.

Dean Stockdale & Noel Dennis @ the Jazz Café - July 7

Dean Stockdale (piano); Noel Dennis (trumpet/flugel).
(Review by Lance).

From Russell's review of the latest CD by the Dean Stockdale Trio (previous post) those, if any, who were unfamiliar with the pianist's work will surely have got the message that the man is a formidable player. Take away bass and drums but add the melodic horn playing of Noel Dennis and we have the makings of another sound Jazz Café duo set.

Amazingly, Stockdale hadn't brought any of his CDs to hawk which must surely be a first for any musician playing a gig!

The duo kicked off with Beautiful Love and it soon became apparent that we were in for a treat. A low-key one perhaps but nonetheless a treat.

CD Review: Dean Stockdale Trio - Origin

Dean Stockdale (piano), Gavin Barras (double bass) & Adam Dawson (drums)

(Review by Russell)

Pianist Dean Stockdale works out of Darlington, Manchester and a suitcase. Hailing from the Tees Delta, Stockdale would cite Oscar Peterson as an influence although his engagements extend way beyond the classic jazz piano trio format; big band pianist, classical accompanist, theatre work and touring with the Madchester-inspired Hacienda Classical show.

CD Review: Paul Skerritt Band

Paul Skerritt (vocals); James Harrison (piano/keys); Anthony Ord (bass); Thomas Chapman (drums) + (on various tracks) Danny Allan, Will Howard, Josh Bentham (sax); Michael Lamb (trumpet); David Gray (trombone)

(Review by Lance).

Paul Skerritt is a 100% vocalist. If a song's worth singing he sings it without cheating. Of course, those who've heard/seen him at gigs or jams know this already. He's Sinatra, Bennett and Bublé it's true, but he's also his own man and very much able to put his stamp on some more newer material. On this compactly packed album, he does just that with Taylor Swift's Shake it Off . It's a hoot, with Harrison playing stride/ragtime piano as if he'd been born in Harlem!