Bebop Spoken There

Melissa Aldana: ''Having to play a ballads album, which is something very revealing for a saxophone player, would help me to question some new aspects of how to go deeper into sound." (DownBeat May, 2026)

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

18602 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 466 of them this year alone and, so far this month (June 8) 17

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

From This Moment On

June

Tue 09: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Tue 09: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 09: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 8:10pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.

Wed 10: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 10: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 10: John Garner & John Pope @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 11: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 11: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: MNO of the GASbook.
Thu 11: FILM: Köln 75 @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 2:45pm. Dir. Ido Fluk. Drama based on the true story of Keith Jarrett’s 1975 concert in Cologne.
Thu 11: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.
Thu 11: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Thu 11: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 11: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 11: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free

Fri 12: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 12: Pete Tanton & Alan Law @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Tanton (trumpet, vocals); Law (piano).
Fri 12: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Cleveland Bay Hotel, Eaglescliffe. 9:00pm. Free.

Sat 13: Ladies of Midnight Blue + Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, Woodhorn Museum, Ashington NE63 9YF. Free. From 10:00am. Ladies of Midnight Blue (3:00-3:45pm); Northern Monkey Brass Band (4:00-4:45pm).
Sat 13: Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 13: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Saltburn Bandstand. 2:30-4:30pm. Free.
Sat 13: Courtney Pine @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £35.80. Pine (saxophones); Robert Mitchell (piano); Rio Kai (double bass); Romarna Campbell (drums). ‘A Modern-Day Jazz Story 1986 - 2026’.

Sun 14: Front Porch Band: Swing Tyne’s Swing Social @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations (£5.00. - £10.00. suggested). Swing dance event w. taster class (12:30pm).
Sun 14: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 14: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Doctor Jazz @ The Old Church, Sacriston, Durham. 3:00-5:00pm . Free (donations welcome). New Orleans, blues & classic 20th century songs. Food & soft drinks available, BYOB.
Sun 14: Eddie Gripper Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Gripper (piano); Clem Saynor (double bass); Patrick Barrett-Donlon (drums). Americana album tour.

Mon 15: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 15: Dan Johnson w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Monday, June 03, 2013

CD Review: Caecilie Norby: Silent Ways

Caecilie Norby (vocal); Lars Danielsson (cello, bass, acoustic guitars, tambourine); Leszek Mozdzer (piano); Nguyen Le (electric guitars, electronics); Robert Mehmet Ikiz (drums, percussion); also Marius Neset (tenor and soprano sax)
(Review by Ann Alex)
This is a totally enjoyable CD, but it mostly doesn't have that certain feel of ‘jazz’ (I'm open to contradiction from anyone else who hears it), except for some jazz influence on 3 of the tracks. 
Danish Ms Norby sang in the classical music world until she was aged 14, when one day she heard Creedence Clearwater Revival at a school party, which changed her musical perspective.  Nowadays,  she prefers not to have much regard for musical genres.  
For this CD, she picked out 11 of her favourite singer-songwriter melodies, plus a self-composed number, and, the insert says, played them with jazz and classical influences.  The band improvises, the voice has a wide range, and is beautifully expressive, yet the overall effect comes across to me as heavy rock, and reminded me of the supergroups of the 1970’s such as Genesis or Yes.  Perhaps it is the double tracking, lots of use of electronics, and an occasional ‘wall of sound’ effect, I don't know.
Anyway, the songs are well chosen, including Leonard Cohen’s Winter Lady; and In My Secret Life; Tom Waits’ Diamonds And Gold; (good strong rhythmic percussion); Papa Was A Rolling Stone (jazzy piano and eastern type guitar) Dylan’s Like A Rolling Stone (a fascinating Caribbean arrangement); a wonderfully modulated voice on Silent Ways.  Other tracks are Stepping Stone; Hurt; Hearts and Bones; Have You Ever Seen The Rain; Black Hole Sun; and the self composed Hymnen.  
Released on 3rd June 2013 by ACT Music
Ann Alex


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