Book review: Peter Jones: This Is Hip - The Life of Mark Murphy.

"This book needed to be written for a number of reasons, the first being that Mark Murphy deserves greater recognition than he achieved in his lifetime. He mastered the art of jazz singing to an extraordinary degree, taking it to levels appreciated only by those few who knew about him and understood what he was doing."

So reads the opening paragraph by his biographer Peter Jones.

Jones is an established singer himself with several highly rated albums to his name and, no slouch with the pen either making him the ideal person to write this study of the enigmatic Murphy.

Murphy is credited with around 40 albums. Each one looked at with varying degrees of scrutiny by Jones.

Book review: Peter Jones: This is Hip - The Life of Mark Murphy.

(Although I reviewed This is Hip back in March, when Frank Griffith sent me his take on Peter Jones' portrayal of the late, charismatic, vocalist I decided to post it anyway on the grounds that anything that helps to keep Mark Murphy's memory alive is worth doing - Lance) 

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The iconic and innovative jazz vocalist Mark Murphy’s life is documented excellently by writer (and jazz vocalist) Peter Jones in “This is Hip”. The reader really gets to know Murphy as an individual and musician in this well-researched and poignant portrayal of a unique artist. 

RIP Mark Murphy

First Don Rendell and now Mark Murphy! I know your heroes don't live forever but two in one day! Mark passed away yesterday (October 21) leaving behind a legacy that should have been enormous but wasn't although, in artistic terms it was as big as Porter or Elling. He was the consummate jazz singer - he should have been playing stadiums, but I'm glad he wasn't on 9/11.  9/11 1984 that is.

On that Tuesday evening he was at the Corner House in Newcastle where, accompanied by the Willie Payne/Sid Warren Sextet, he gave one of the most memorable performances that venue had ever seen and, in that era, they'd seen plenty!

Vinyl Review: Mark Murphy - A Beautiful Friendship - Remembering Shirley Horn.

Mark Murphy – vocal; Alex Minasian – piano; Curtis Lundy – double bass; Steve Williams – drums; Till Bronner – trumpet.

(Review by Debra M.)

Originally the idea of George Mesterhazy,  Shirley Horn’s pianist , this project  was  dedicated to them both following his sudden death at the age of 59.  The result is a vinyl EP, engineered, produced and designed as a 1950s or ‘60s  jazz album.  The sleeve includes extensive background information, from the instruments used, to the equipment that cut the vinyl.  This obsessional attention to detail is reflected in the quality of every aspect of the recording. 

Homage to Mark Murphy - R.I.P

Listening to Mark Murphy helped me cope with life's vicissitudes during my salad days it's true. Mature but I'm still beguiled. 
I have been privileged to be amongst consummate musicians for the afterglow following one of his performances (Pete Churchill, Nikki Iles, Norma Winstone...). By way of a eulogy I intend to put my antiquated derriere on a seat as many times as I can to keep jazz alive in his memory.

Looking back I note from my journal that, at the gig at Pizza on the Park, Pete Churchill was on piano with bass, drums and percussion (sorry no names).  Mark sang Again as an encore + Imagination and Pure Imagination from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
For the ticket price of £16 I was able to stay for both sets. A waiter gave me a centre table to myself (I think he thought I was a lottery winner. That evening I thought I was too!)
Dee Linnell.
PS: Cover of CD purchased as a souvenir. 
(Editor: Original post.)

Triple CD review: Kurt Edelhagen & His Orchestra - The Unreleased WDR Jazz Recordings 1957 - 1974

This has just absolutely made my day! I know now how Columbus felt when he discovered the world was round or how I felt when I first heard The Atomic Mr Basie. This 3 CD set is up there with them and you can throw in the first sub four minute mile, the Moon landing and Steve Bruce still hanging on to his job at NUFC for good measure.

Forty tracks covering the period from 1957 to 1974 and featuring some of the greatest ever musicians from America, Europe and the UK many of whom played with the legendary Clarke-Boland Band and, indeed, Francy Boland does contribute several of the arrangements.

Tessa Souter w. Pete Gilligan Trio @ The Cherry Tree - April 13

Tessa Souter (vcl); Pete Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Russ Morgan (dms).
(Review by Lance).

A visit to the Cherry Tree on Osborne Rd. is invariably stimulating both musically and gastronomically and tonight they excelled themselves on both counts.

Almost two years have passed since I first encountered Ms. Souter on one of  the several CDs by the New York-based singer that are currently available. Beyond the Blue, a selection of standards based on classical compositions rated high on that year's jazz charts.

Last night, Caravan, from another CD, Listen Love, got the ball rolling and it soon became obvious that we and they were going to have a ball.

CD Review: Peter Jones - Under the Setting Sun.

Peter Jones (vocal); Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor/flute); Anthony Kerr (vibes); Neil Angilley (piano); Andy Hamill (bass/harmonica); Davide Giannimi (drums).

(Review by Lance). 

Peter Jones wears many hats, not least as an occasional contributor to these pages. His reviews from various London gigs help to make our presence known in the capital. He's also the author of what promises to be the definitive biography of Mark Murphy (out April 2018)* and, as this album shows, a first class singer/composer/lyricist.

Oh and, by the way, in case anyone thinks this review is of the 'jobs for the boys' variety we enthused over his previous album** long before we knew him!

Island Honey, set to an infectious cha-cha beat, the number was inspired by a small island off Brazil where he once holidayed. I'm not sure if the honey is a local lady or a reference to the luscious flute solo by that Greek God - Vasy.

Newcastle Jazz Festival (day two): Northern Monkey Brass Band and Harry Keeble/Mark Williams Duo - August 19

(© Malcolm Sinclair)

Graham Hardy, Alastair Lord (trumpets); Jamie Toms (tenor sax); Mark Ferris, Keiran Parnaby (trombones); Phil Rosier (tuba); Adam Sinclair (snare drum); Brendan Murphy (bass drum)

After Thursday night's session at the Bridge the action, and some of the musicians, moved to the Black Swan for a night of contrasting music with the NMBB rocking the joint with their take on contemporary New Orleans' marching bands.

And march they did! Making their usual grand entrance from various corners of the room they eventually reached the stage amid a cacophonous, but not unpleasant, wall of sound.

Sunday Night @ The Globe: The Pete Tanton Quartet - March 7

Pete Tanton (trumpet/flugel/vocals); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (bass); Russ Morgan (drums).

(Screenshot by Debra Milne)

The last time I heard this quartet was also at The Globe in between either the first and second lockdowns or maybe it was the second and third? Who knows? Who cares? When you've seen three lockdowns you've seen 'em all - or so we hope!

On that occasion, we booked and paid in advance, sanitised our hands, provided track and trace details, ordered our drinks from a masked waitress then sat back and enjoyed some live music.

Dave Weisser Memorial Fundraiser @ the Globe - Oct. 11

(© Sheila Herrick)

Alan Glen Trio: Alan Glen (piano); Andy Champion (bass); Sid White   (drums)

The trio were flying with Alan proving that age is no handicap. If you've got it you've got it and boy has he got it! A swinging Four was followed by a contemplative How Deep is the Ocean? with a fast Cherokee completing their all too short set. Andy Champion was, as always, a tower of strength with Sid White driving things along. The bench mark had been set - follow that if you can!

Album review: Zoöphyte - Out of the Cave

Yesterday we posted a review of Peter Jones' biography of Jon Hendricks - This is Bop. Today I'm reviewing an album by Peter's band Zoöphyte and tomorrow? Who knows? it could be a vocalese take on The Dead Sea Scrolls. With Peter Jones anything's possible.

On this four track EP Peter is uncertain as to whether it should be classed as jazz-pop or pop-jazz. Not an issue with me. Instead, I'll quote Eddie Condon and say, we called it music.

The Saltburn Big Band @ Dorman’s Jazz Club, Middlesbrough - March 14

Dave Brock, Dan Chirniside, Tony Turne, Django Zazou (trombones); Kevin Eland, Adrian Beadnell, Colin Moore, Karen Jones (trumpets); Mark Toomey, Ellice Jones, Donna Hewitt, Andy Devine, Simon Jones (saxes); Paul Donnelly (guitar); Dave Archbold (keys); John Daniels (bass); Chris Murphy (drums); Darren Moore (congas); Bridget Metcalfe (vocals).

The 19 piece band, formed less than a year ago with Kevin Eland as MD, were making their second appearance at Dorman’s and are now firmly established and acknowledged as a first class big band.

Opening the night with their signature tune, Louis Ferras's composition Domino, the full big band sound and a fine tenor sax solo from Donna Hewitt, started the night in great style. A more relaxed Nice 'n' Easy with lovely trumpet from Kevin Eland was then followed by Bridget Metcalfe taking centre stage to show what a class singer she is with a fast swinging version of Lerner and Lowe's Almost Like Being in Love. In complete contrast Bridget then sang I Can't Get Started and Mark Toomey showed his alto sax skills with his solo and his subtle finish.

The Bud Plus: Budtet @ The Globe Jazz Bar - May 20

Stu Finden (tenor); Fiona Finden (sop/vocal); Jude Murphy (alto/flute/vocal); Dave Weisser (cornet/vocal); Lin Lee Wong (piano); Andrew 'Drew' Porritt (bass); Eric Stutt (drums).

(Review by Lance).

Budtet's guitarist didn't make the gig. Understandable as Budtet were a last-minute replacement after the all-girl Break Out Brass Band pulled out. So the octet became a septet albeit, like the band they were depping for, still with a strong - if not total - female presence.
The plus factor did remain with the addition of the legendary Dave Weisser playing muted cornet and singing in his inimitable way.
However, the star of the evening was the departing keyboard player, Lin Lee Wong. Ms Wong will be missed by both band and audience. Her final chorus on A Train a timely reminder of what we're losing.
The additional voice that Weisser's cornet brought filled out the front line giving Boplicity an ensemble sound that rivalled the original Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool recording.

Book review: Peter Jones - This is Bop. Take 2

Having a fellow jazz singer and the author of This Is Hip, The Life of Mark Murphy examine the roots of bop vocalese and its innovator,  crooner/lyricist/raconteur, Jon Hendricks, is quite a challenge indeed. Author, Peter Jones carries this off with aplomb. A jazz journalist and singer/composer himself, Jones also won an ARSC award for one of the best books in 2018 by Jazz History Online.

"Jon Hendricks thought big and he knew no boundaries", writes Jones. He also quotes Hendricks regarding his inability to read music - "The secret of my art is ignorance, because I didn't know that you can't do this or can't do that". 

CD Review: Jelena Jovovic - Heartbeat

(Review by Ann Alex)

Jelena Jovovic comes from Serbia and has studied at universities in Belgrade and Austria. A vocal clinician and lecturer who has sung with Mark Murphy and Sheila Jordan, as well as appearing at festivals and touring with her own quintet. Heartbeat, her first album as leader, comprises six original songs and four tracks of existing tunes to which Ms Jovovic has written lyrics.

Album review: Malcolm Earle Smith - Vocal Intent

Malcolm Earle Smith (vocals); Leo Richardson (tenor/baritone sax); Chris Eldred (piano); Conor Chaplin (bass); Douglas Marriner (drums).

Malcolm Earle Smith, a jazz educator at Trinity Laban Conservatoire since 2005, is perhaps better known as a trombonist having worked with many top British jazz names past and present. This, however, is a purely vocal adventure.

Supported by four of his former students who have themselves gone on to make their mark on the current scene the end product is an enjoyable romp through a world where such legends as Jon Hendricks and Mark Murphy once reigned supreme. I'm not suggesting that Smith has dethroned the masters but he's chipping away.

Album review: Lauren White - Making it up as we go Along

Lauren White (vocals); Quinn Johnson (piano, Rhodes); Larry Koonse (guitar on 3 tks);  Kevin Axt (bass); Trey Henry  (bass on 1 tk); Brian Swartz   (trumpet on 4 tks); Katisse Buckingham (sax, flute on 4 tks); Chris Wabich (drums on 4 tks); Dan Schnelle (drums on 4 tks); Ray Brinker (drums on 1 tk); Paul Jost (vocal on 1 tk)

White's fifth album and the fourth to have been reviewed on BSH lives up to the high stand of the other three. Described as 'songs of love's complexities' the lyrics, in the main, meet that criteria.

The smoky voice, the kind of voice you used to hear in a night club scene in an old black and white movie, usually just before somebody got shot, is tailor-made for the material. As it happens, one of the earlier albums, Out of the Past, did indeed feature songs from noir films.

Latest roster of Jazz North’s northern line jazz artists announced

(Press release)

Jazz North, the northern jazz development agency, today announces the 6th roster of Ambassador Artists to be selected for northern line - the innovative model for touring which gives promoters the opportunity to programme high quality artists with low financial risk.

Since its launch in 2013, northern line has featured 59 such ambassador artists who have performed 650 gigs to date with over 170 promoters partners across the north of England and beyond.

The northern line 6th Round roster is:

Artephis (Manchester)

Emma Johnson’s Gravy Boat (Leeds)

Manchester Jazz Collective (Manchester)

Mark Williams Trio (Newcastle)

Paul Taylor (Newcastle)

Ponyland (Cumbria)

Täpp (Manchester)

Treppenwitz (Leeds)

glowe_ (Manchester)

Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Billy Bootleggers - Feb 13

Graham Hardy (trumpet); Ben Chinnery (trumpet); Jamie Toms (tenor saxophone); Mark Ferris (trombone); Jason Holcomb (trombone); Adam Sinclair (snare drum); Brendan Murphy (bass drum) & Phil Rosier (tuba)

(Review by Russell).

A first Mardi Gras at Billy Bootleggers. Who to invite to the party? The Northern Monkey Brass Band, that’s who! Graham Hardy’s New Orleans-inspired eight-piece band is the go-to outfit on occasions like this. The horn players bring little baggage with them, Phil Rosier slings his tuba over one shoulder and the rhythms boys – Adam Sinclair and Brendan Murphy – split the kit in half making it an easy-in, easy-out gig.