Album review: Hannah Gill - Everybody Loves a Lover

Hannah Gill (vocals); Danny Jonokuchi (trumpet); Ryan Weisheit (reeds); Sam Chess (trombone); Greg Ruggerio (guitar); Gordon Webster (piano); Tal Ronen (bass); Ben Zweig (drums).

I first heard Hannah Gill when she was part of that phenomenal circus known as Post Modern Jukebox at Sage Gateshead, as it was back then in 2019. That, for me she was the star of a show that had more stars in its ranks than heaven (apologies to MGM for pinching that line!), says a lot.

Russell was also impressed when he heard Hannah on a livestream from NYC during the pandemic and she also showed on a recent album by Danny Jonokuchi.

What a choice selection of songs on this album and not a Summertime among them! Three numbers associated with Doris Day and not a Secret Love among them!

Album review: Hannah Gill - I Like the Sunrise (Turtle Bay Records)

Hannah Gill (vocal); Luis Salcedo (guitar); Phil Ambuel (bass); Adam Ray (drums) + Ricky Alexander (tenor sax )

Ostensibly a tribute to Duke Ellington - indeed ten of the eleven tunes do have Duke's name among the credits -  the Ellington mood is ever present, even on the the only non Ducal number: So Far, So Good. 

So Far, So Good is in fact the opening track setting the scene for the delights to follow, one of which is I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues. Both have gutsy tenor solos  and Gill is in fine voice as we've come to expect from her previous three albums on the Turtle Bay label.

Love You Madly always reminds me of the first time I heard Duke address the audience at Newcastle Odeon in 1958. The song came later. Hannah does it justice and, along with tenor and guitar, returns the sentiments of the title.  

Album review: Hannah Gill - Spooky Jazz Vol. 2 (Turtle Bay Records)

Hannah Gill (vocals); Gabe Terracciano (violin); Ricky Alexander (clarinet, tenor sax); Mike Davis (trumpet, trombone); Justin Poindexter (guitar, organ); Gordon Webster (piano, organ); Philip Ambuel (bass); Ben Zweig (drums)

If you're sitting in the house with the curtains drawn and the lights out on October 31 then the time is right for you to listen to Spooky Jazz Vol. 2 (with the headphones on).  Thus you will avoid the hordes of feral children knocking on your door and menacingly offering you the choice between 'trick or treat'. This will enable you to celebrate Halloween whilst listening to some killer-diller hot music.

Album review: Hannah Gill - Spooky Jazz Vol 3 (Turtle Bay Records)

Hannah Gill (vocals); Gabe Terracciano (violin); Ricky Alexander (clarinet, tenor sax); Justin Poindexter (guitars); Gordon Webster (piano); Philip Ambuel (bass); Ben Zweig (drums); Danny Jonokuchi (trumpet, theremin, slide whistle, arranger) + Sasha Papernik (accordion tk 10).

A follow up to Spooky Jazz Vol. 2 reviewed HERE last October. It was frighteningly good then and this third volume is equally scary (in the nicest spine-tingling way).

Gill has a great blues tinged voice perfectly attuned to the idiom which, in theory, is 1920s/'30s however there's too much going on to pigeonhole it into any timescale. The mood is somewhere between House of the Black Gardenia and Postmodern Jukebox. Hannah actually did three years treading the boards with PMG including a stint at Sage Gateshead (the Glasshouse).

From Bratislava to NYC and onto Chicago

Bratislava Hot Serenaders live streaming from Bratislava - Oct 11

A ticketed live stream from Bratislava presented one or two challenging pre-performance moments. Would there be a Facebook reminder? What was the time difference? What did UTC + 01 mean? Did BST come into the calculation? There would be much fiddling and searching for an all important access code...

Album review: Danny Jonokuchi - Voices

One of the first indications of the effect that the pandemic was going to have on jazz and the world in general was back in March 2020 when American vocalist, trumpet player, bandleader, arranger Danny Jonokuchi had to pull out of a transatlantic guest appearance with Strictly Smokin' Big Band at Newcastle's Flat Caps Café.

Although on this album he neither sings nor plays* he knows a whole lot who do and, coupled with his fine arrangements, they all shine as indeed do the reeds, 'bones and rhythm section.

Each track showcases a different vocalist with some  complex, compelling scoring and meaningful solos.

And if that wasn't enough ten of the eleven song are among my all-time favourites.

Top ten vocal albums of 2023

1. Wilma Baan: Look at me Now! (ECN Music)

2. Lauren Bush: Tide Rises (Mighty Quinn)

3. Chris Ingham: Hoagy II (Downhome Records)

4. Zoe Francis: Somewhere in the Night (Diving Duck Recordings)

5. Hannah Gill: Everybody Loves a Lover (Turtle Bay |Records)

Postmodern Jukebox @ Sage Gateshead - March 3

Breathless! That's how I felt after Scott Bradlee's all-action, pot-boiling extravaganza, Postmodern Jukebox, reached its climactic conclusion. "Phew!" I said to no one in particular. There was no other word to describe the heat generated from the stage to the audience and back.

It wasn't as jazzy as I'd expected although every single performer had jazz chops to spare the name of the game was entertainment in the form of a hypnotic blend of jazz, soul and rock 'n' roll. It was no surprise that tickets had sold well - they'd been here before!

Top Ten + Vocal Albums - 2025

1.  Sinne Eeg - Shikiori.

2.  Hannah Gill - Spooky Jazz Vol 3.

3.  Emma Smith - Bitter Orange.

4.  Sandra-Mae Lux - Seasons in Jazz.

5.  Georgia Mancio & Alan Broadbent - Stories Left Untold. 

6.  Tessa Souter - Treasures and Silence.

7.  Kandace Springs - Lady in Satin.

8.  Meredith d'Ambrosio - Midnight Mood.

9. Jacqui Dankworth - Windmill.

10. Barb Jungr - Hallelujah on Desolation Row.

OMG! I've just realised I haven't picked out any male singers! So, to make amends I've added, in no particular order, The following: 

Mark Winkler - Hold On.

Allan Harris - The Poetry of Jazz.

Jeffrey Gimble - Brand New Key.

Robin Phillips - Return From the Source.

Lance

Danny Jonokuchi with Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Flat Caps Coffee, Carliol Square, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

(Press release)

Friday 13^th March | 8pm

Tickets at www.strictly-smokin.co.uk

Famed New York and LA band leader, trumpet player, vocalist and arranger, DANNY JONOKUCHI, visits the North East for a one-off gig with STRICTLY SMOKIN’ BIG BAND. We’ve featured Danny’s arrangements at SSBB for a few years now, and are very excited to hook up for this gig.

Danny Jonokuchi has been called a world class performer and the “sound of this era” (Nextbop).

This music swings from start to finish – Danny’s arrangements are fresh but hold true to the New York big band tradition – think Birdland, Village Vanguard and Blue Note.

We’ll be featuring Danny on trumpet and vocals, as well as our own Alice Grace and members of Strictly Smokin’.

CD Review: Glenn Crytzer Orchestra - Ain't it Grand?

(Review by Lance).

We're back in 'The Swing Era', that gorgeous period twixt Dixieland and bebop when big bands ruled the roost. To draw another parallel, and one closer to home, none of the tracks would sound out of place if performed at Mike Durham's Classic Jazz Party held annually just outside of Whitley Bay. In fact, at least one of the musicians has indeed played there - trombonist Jim Fryer.

Jazz historian Will Friedwald, who wrote the accompanying blurb, prefers to think of them as, "not so much recreations but rather reimaginings".  A pretty fair description, although A String of Pearls doesn't sound that much different from the original Miller version even down to the solos. But then again, who's going to improve on the original Bobby Hackett chorus?