Time To Face The Music With Indigo Jazz Voices

Carrie McCullock; Jenny Lingham; David Edgar; Paul Close; Jen Errington (individual singers); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Rob Walker (drums)

Don't miss your chance to see these talented singers and musicians next Thursday April 20 at the Globe. And you've guessed one of the songs to be performed, haven't you? Yes it's Let's Face The Music And Dance. I wonder which singer will do that particular song? And who will be performing the other songs, which will include Cheek To Cheek; Another Saturday Night and No Moon At All?

Be there to find out.

Proceedings begin at 7.45pm and it's only £5 cash on the door.

What's not to like? Ann Alex

Bob Dawbarn in Dent.

Back in 1989 (seems like only yesterday) I did some cycle touring/boozing in the Yorkshire Dales. My overnight base was in Dent (now seemingly in Cumbria), possibly the most picturesque village in the world.

The village had two lovely pubs - The Sun and The George and Dragon - both of which I frequented after a hard day cycling up and down the many gradients which, if not mountains, were certainly more than hills.

In the village there was a bookshop, which I now find that, after Googling, it seems to be long gone - well done Google/Amazon etc!

Album review: Nick Finzer - Dreams, Visions, Illusions

Nick Finzer (trombone); Lucas Pino (tenor sax/bass clarinet); Glenn Zaleski (piano); Alex Wintz (guitar); Dave Baron (bass); Jimmy Macbride (drums).

To quote from the blurb: "Finzer crafts a thematically and psychologically penetrating work - one that explores the role of the muse in creative inspiration. As per dreams, visions, illusions' title, he trisected this concept and shone it through the lens of creative and professional labor".

I mean to say, how can I follow such words of wisdom? - even if I knew what they meant!

Jazz on the Tyne – What’s On, late April 2023

In the latest edition of the podcast, presenter Colin Muirhead will preview gigs featuring the John Pope Quintet, Martin Speake, Zoë Gilby, James Birkett & Emma Fisk, JazzMain, Corrie Dick, Gwilym Simcock, and the Strictly Smokin' Big Band.  He’ll also play music by Kenny Wheeler and Morelenbaum2/Sakamoto. Plus, there’ll be a message from Jo Harrop about next month’s Hexham Jazz Festival.

A Book at Bedtime

Today I went on what Simon Spillett, for obvious reasons, calls Spilletting which in my case could be called Lancing which sounds rather painful or Liddling which sounds like some form of incontinence. To be more precise I did what, years ago, we called junk-shopping which, in today's parlance, is now charity-shopping.

Simon usually toots into a hand me down shop in Tooting Bec and invariably emerges with the complete works of John Coltrane for a fiver. He's probably got half-a-dozen Buddy Bolden cylinders awaiting to be transferred to stereo.

Album Review: Laura Lantano – Returning To Myself

Laura Lantano (voice); Sam Leak (piano); Duncan Eagles (tenor saxophone)

Here we have nine original songs about the ups and downs of life and especially about love, sung in a pleasing alto-toned voice, every word clear. The accompaniment is skilled and appropriate, with the jazz influence provided by short tenor sax solos and comments aside.

I'm not sure that the CD could honestly be called jazz as there is little improvisation from the singer, who reminded me of Carol King singing with her piano in the 1960/70s. However the CD is good listening if it is considered as jazz/pop if there is such a genre. The more jazz-like tracks are Waiting For Someone, a sad love song with some vocal improvisation and gospel influence and Mind Over Heart which has a Latin rhythm.

Me Lost Me + Ceitidh Mac + Heather Ferrier @ Bobiks - April 8

(© Ken Drew)

The second day of this 2-day Easter weekender, focusing on local musicians/bands, was also sold out. The triple-bill was eagerly anticipated, not least because of its bias towards folk/electronics rather than jazz-infused performance. So it is rather unusual for Jazz North East to present a succession of performances comprising primarily non-jazz rather than provide a contrast of musical styles/genres between 2 or 3 performers on the same bill. But the common factor here is that they all share the drive and commitment to forge new music from a mix of styles, producing some of the best of our region's contemporary alt-folk scene (in its widest sense) on offer at the moment.  They each share a driven desire to probe and extend beyond the more expected genre bounds, and each provide an element of excitement and surprise in what they do, and develop their ideas with each performance.

Paul Hartley Quartet with Bryan Pendleton @ the Railway, Stockport - April 11

(© Jeff Pritchard)

Paul Hartley (guitar); Bryan Pendleton (piano); John Sandham (bass); Paul Turner (drums).

If Gershwin, instead of Harold Arlen, had written Stormy Weather  it would have been an ideal opening tune for tonight’s show at the Railway. On my way down it rained so hard I missed my turn off from the M60 and ended up getting lost near Portwood roundabout. I did, however, eventually reach my destination just in time to catch the quartet playing A Foggy Day. If George Gershwin had visited Stockport maybe he might have written A Rainy Day In Stockport Town.  Still, in spite of the rain, there was a reasonable turnout and they heard plenty Gershwin numbers, fifteen in total. Paul Hartley, who did most of the announcing, explained that Gershwin wrote over four hundred songs for shows and films many of which became standards.

Album review: John Pizzarelli - Stage and Screen

John Pizzarelli (7-string guitar, vocals); Isaiah J. Thompson (piano); Michael Karn (bass).

When the world comes to an end (tomorrow, next year, next millennium, who knows?) and the great almighty a.k.a. Ronnie Scott O.B.E is asked to dish out the wings to the incoming angels, when it comes to the vocalist/instrumentalist cloud then, on the strength of this release, Chet Baker may find himself with Joe Mooney in the play-off  places.

Abbie Finn’s Finntet + Zoë Gilby with Andy Champion @ Bobiks - April 7

(© Ken Drew)

Abbie Finn’s Finntet: Graham Hardy (trumpet/flugel); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Dean Stockdale (keys); Paul Grainger (bass); Abbie Finn (drums)

The first day of a two day Easter weekender promoted by Jazz North East featuring local musicians and bands.   

Abbie Finn has been in the music news a lot recently, and the Finntet is one of her two current projects. First is the Abbie Finn Trio with Harry Keeble on tenor saxophone and Paul Grainger on double bass and the second is the Finntet as listed above. 

The Finntet covered a broad range of styles from across the decades. Dat Dere from the 1960s through to her own compositions Big Old Spice Cabinet and Delilah Mirador de los Poleos (both taken from her latest CD) via other well known jazz compositions  Dear Johnny B and  Little Joanie Walks.  The audience demanded more, so a short version of Swinging at the Haven was pulled out of the hat to send the audience happily on its way.  Each tune gave members of the band a chance to step up and show off their excellent musical credentials.