Sunday night @ the Globe: Guido Spannocchi Quartet - May 5

© Ken Drew

Guido Spannocchi (alto sax); Danny Keane (piano); John Pope (bass); Steve Hanley (drums)

The moral of the story re last night's gig at the Globe is that, just as you can't judge a book by its cover, nor can you judge a band by listening to a few bars on YouTube.

I made just such an error of perception when I concluded it was going to be a long haul until the final coda.

I was wrong - boy was I wrong and I'm delighted to admit it! Pass me my suit of sackcloth and ashes.

After the recent surfeit of top class tenor players: Watson, Themen, Gould, Keeble and Teimoori it was good, despite my initial reservations, to here some very fine alto playing.

Sue Ferris Quintet plays Horace Silver @ Central Bar, Gateshead - May 5

Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ben Lawrence (keyboards); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums)

It's the new thing at Central Bar - doors at 1:45pm with hardly a soul to be seen, by the two o'clock down beat the first floor room is all but standing-room only. This month's session featured Sue Ferris' excellent quintet playing Horace Silver. Not an album as such, more a selection from the pianist's extensive back catalogue plus a couple of non-Silver compositions for good measure.    

John Pisano (Feb. 6, 1931- May 2, 2024)

Jeff Barnhart @ The Vault, Darlington - May 4

Jeff Barnhart (piano, vocals); Anne Barnhart (vocals)

Following a most successful lunchtime concert at St Augustine's Parish Centre, Jeff Barnhart wasn't about to leave town anytime soon. Two minutes' walk from the venue lies one of our American visitor's favourite pubs. The place was more than busy and the arrival of Mr B's entourage made it all the more so. A pint or three later it was time to head down to Darlington's Market Square for the second of Barnhart's eagerly anticipated two-gigs-in-a-day. 

The Vault overlooks Darlington's Market Square. This weekend it's the town's 'Food & Drink Festival 2024'. Stalls offering a wide range of goodies were doing good business, meanwhile, our East Row hostelry was doing equally good business. The Vault attracts a wide clientele: drinkers, 'night out' types, party-goers (some dressed up to the nines) and, on this early Saturday evening, a battalion of jazz fans. 

Jazz Time Aycliffe Radio - Sundays 6.30-8.00pm (repeated Tuesdays 8.00-9.30pm)

Playlist 05/05/24. (Repeated Tuesday 07/05/24)

Seasonal: Stan Getz, Blossom Dearie, Nat 'King' Cole.

Requests From Graham Hardy Gala Gig:  Ushaw Ensemble, Oscar Peterson/Clark Terry, Kenny Barron, Immanuel Wilkins.

What’s happening in Scotland: Makote Ozone,.

Memories: Maynard Ferguson, Mary Lou Williams, Keith Jarrett, Red Nichols,.

British Modern Jazz: Mike Westbrook.

What’s on in the NE: Fergus McCreadie. Zoë Gilby.

Bill Evans Trio.

https://www.ayclifferadio.co.uk/listen

Aycliffe Radio is now available on DAB in County Durham & Darlington Area.

Jeff Barnhart's Mr Men @ Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club - May 4

Jeff Barnhart (piano, vocals); John Hallam (tenor sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Keith Stephen (guitar, banjo); Bruce Rollo (double bass, vocals)

The Mr Men's annual visit to Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club attracted a large crowd to St Augustine's. Pianist Jeff Barnhart was just about over jetlag, this Larchfield Street engagement the first in his spring UK tour itinerary. As always, joining the man from Mystic, Connecticut, from west of the Pennines, the affable John Hallam (reeds), from Northumberland, Keith Stephen (guitar and banjo) and DNOJC favourite, string bassist Bruce Rollo.

The Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman's Jazz Club Middlesbrough - May 2

Mark Toomey (alto sax); Jeremy McMurray (piano); Alan Rudd (double bass); Paul Smith (drums).

A night of jazz standards and original compositions. All delivered with the passion and excitement that is always guaranteed with this group which isn't surprising comprising as it does some of the best jazz musicians in the Teesside area. It also gave Mark  the the opportunity to demonstrate his skills as a talented composer with a number of his own compositions.

Sonny Rollins' version of Tenor Madness set the style for the night with excellent solos all round. Jimmy Van Heusen's It Could Happen to You was nicely played before Jump High, an up tempo Parker influenced composition of Mark's, again  included sax, piano and bass solos before exchanging fours with Paul to finish.

Preview: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Community Theatre - May 26

Following on from their debut concert in Saltburn last year, the band has gone from strength to strength delivering stunning performances throughout the area including a standing ovation at a sell out concert in Stokesley earlier this year. 

Lead by trumpet ace Kevin Eland, the concert promises to be of the same high standard with some great arrangements and knockout soloists, many of whom are musicians well-established in the area and beyond. Lance

PROMO VIDEO.

Tickets HERE.

Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle - May 3

Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

The sun shone today. Sunny Bishop Auckland suggested the best of spring is just around the corner. Auckland Castle, a tourist attraction at the best of times, today looked a picture, a magnet for the many culture vultures milling about town. Those in the know queued at the door to the Old Library, eager to part with a mere eight pounds to hear some of the finest jazz the region has to offer.

Album review: Synia Carroll - Water is my Song (Clarion Jazz 851724)

Synia Carroll (vocals); John Di Martino (piano); Kenny Davis (bass); Jerome Jennings (drums) + Cafe (perc on 2 tks); Will Galison (harmonica on 1 tk); Aaron Heick (reeds on 4 tks); Beatriz Hernandez (backing vocals on 1 tk); Westey Lima De Amorim (guitar on 4 tks); David Oquendo (vocals and chants on 2 tks); Houston Person (tenor sax on 2 tks).

Carroll is we are told, a vocalist, poet, teacher and professional storyteller. Her poetic side can be heard on Child of the Times co-written with Jane Getz who isn't related to Stan. It was after receiving a master's degree in education at the University of New Haven and spending several years teaching that she found herself becoming a part of the South Florida jazz scene.