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Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 2024.

The Things They Say!

Hudson Music: Lance's "Bebop Spoken Here" is one of the heaviest and most influential jazz blogs in the UK.

Rupert Burley (Dynamic Agency): "BSH just goes from strength to strength".

'606' Club: "A toast to Lance Liddle of the terrific jazz blog 'Bebop Spoken Here'"

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band included Be Bop Spoken Here (sic) in their 5 Favourite Jazz Blogs.

Ann Braithwaite (Braithwaite & Katz Communications) You’re the BEST!

Holly Cooper, Mouthpiece Music: "Lance writes pull quotes like no one else!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Josh Weir: I love the writing on bebop spoken here... I think the work you are doing is amazing.

Postage

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Friday, June 17, 2016

CD Review: Mac Gollehon & The Hispanic Mechanics

(Review by Steve T)
This is Mac Gollehon’s ninth album as a leader, but his list of guest credits is a veritable who's who of pop and disco, from the mildly impressive Chic and Rick James to the not at all impressive (to these ears): Duran Duran, Blondie and Mick Jagger. There's also a number of Latin artists, none of whom I've heard of and he's worked with a good Bowie and another, but I'll leave the reader guessing who they are and which is which.
The music is described as 'ground-breaking...a uniquely fresh and innovative...mix of jazz, blues and funk' but should also add hip-hop, Afro-beat, Latin, and soca, and expand on the term Jazz.
Everything seems thrown at the first track which ends up a mess with the second track even worse, but stick with it and track three delivers a coherent sound at last, his trumpet leading something reminiscent of seventies Jazz Funk just before its collapse into smooth Jazz, but with elements of hip hop, a recurring theme and one of the most effective in its understatement; no lengthy, bad taste raps here.
Elegancia is vintage Roy Ayers, complete with sampling, and there's even some scratching on Obscuridad but Amor Tragico is a Euro pop too far and an album low.
I'm not sure what the point is of an alternative version of the opening track but there's a fine closer featuring muted horn, which brings the whole thing back to you know who - well he is a trumpet player - giving a sense that late Miles Doo Bop via Tutu has been underpinning the whole thing.
The album opener makes more sense on second play as a kind of statement of intent, but some may find the albums' claim of a 'successful marriage of styles' more a weakness, with diluted versions of its various parts spread too thin. Overall it feels like a compilation album although compilations generally have more stylistic consistency, but there's some good music to be found and it's fun for all the family.
Currently available on True Groove Records.
Steve T.
Mac Gollehon, Tomás Doncker (Elegancia), Tina Torres, Miguel Valdez, Josh David (vocals); Mac Gollehon (Trumpet & Trombone); Miguel Valdez, Baba Don, Ronnie Roc (Percussion); Mike Griot (Bass); Tomás Doncker (Guitars); Afrikan Sciences (Eric Porter) (DJ).

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