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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 2025).

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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:15pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall, Stocksfield. 1:30pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm.
Sat 24: Dean Stockdale Quartet + Mingus Sings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums) + Mingus Sings: Sara Oschlag (vocals); Alan Barnes (reeds); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Arnie Somogyi (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sat 24: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 24: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sat 24: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 24: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Wednesday, June 05, 2013

A Brace of Albums from Satoko Fujii - Time Stands Still & Spring Storm.

(Review by Steve H)
Satoko Fujii is a Japanese classically trained avant garde pianist, multi bandleader and composer and that information is probably enough for you to decide whether you will enjoy these CD’s or not. However if you are willing to give  ‘Free Jazz’ a go then I'm sure you will get a lot out of these fascinating and intricate discs.
MA-DO – Time Stands Still
Satoko Fujii (Piano); Natuski Tamura (Trumpet); Norikatsu Koreyasu(Bass); Akira Horikoshi (Drums)
Due to the untimely death at the age of 56 of bass player Norikatsu Koreyasu this is the quartet’s third and final album. Many of the titles bear a relationship to time making the album even more of a poignant memorial to the late bassist. 
Setting off with Fortitude this has a scratching bass intro before other instruments join in, shrill trumpet from Tamura (Fujii’s husband) and then wild discordant piano playing from Fujii gets the whole thing going. North  Wind and the Sun starts atmospherically before a very lively trumpet solo takes it out. It then moves into a surprisingly melodic and tuneful section before  Fujii  erupts with another wild solo and concludes with some ferocious ensemble playing.
Time Flies is a showcase for the drumming of Horikoshi. Rolling Around is a slow short gentle minimalist number with a wolf like feel to it. Set The Clock Back is trumpet led with some very wistful bass from the late Koreyasu. Broken Time is a slow burner which proceeds into an exhilarating thrash followed by a quiet gentle passage before  ending on a booming high. Time stands Still is a very sad haunting and touching conclusion to not only this album but also to the recording career of this fine quartet.

Satoko Fujii New Trio  - Spring Storm
Satoko Fujii ( Piano);Todd Nicholson(Bass);Takshi Itani (Drums)
Spring Storm is the trio’s debut album.
This album kicks off the title song Spring Storm a  slow, quiet, mellow, classical piano solo before bass and drums join in as the tempo and the volume increases. It seems to change tack just about halfway through with a more gentle almost melodic section before progressing to some high tempo rousing activity by the ensemble. Convection  has a plucked bass intro leading into some  rumbling up tempo piano before progressing into a 100 mph gallop.
 Fuki sees Fujii playing wildly and exhilaratingly whilst her partners interject with subtle additions climaxing with a raging drum solo. Next up is the oddly named Whirlwind  as this is the  least ‘stormy’ track on the album! Maebure the longest piece features Nicholson on a long, mournful, bowed bass introduction before  Fujii and Itani burst in giving us a driving tour de force. The mood than changes once again and the song subsides to a melancholy close. The album concludes with Tremble.  An andante piano  piece accompanied by some very complimentary cymbal work by Itani.
If you’re looking for Summertime this album ain’t going to do it for you but Spring Storm is an interesting, enjoyable and worthwhile listen.
Steve H.


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