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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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.

Sunday, October 09, 2016

CD Review: Kayle Brecher - This Is Life

(Review by Ann Alex).
There isn’t much biographical information included with this CD, except to say that the musicians have various music qualifications, eg  Sutin has a degree from the Manhattan School of Music, and the high standard of playing is obvious to the listener anyway. The basic idea of the disc was to convey a sense of intimacy, with a mixture of original songs, standards, and what are labelled as ‘re-envisioning’ of numbers such as Freddie Hubbard’s Red Clay’ (Brecher has added lyrics); Herbie Hancock’s Dolphin Dance (this has become Sea Of Dolphins with lyrics added); and a scatted arrangement of Egberto Gismonti’s Moon Dreams. 
I enjoyed especially hearing the harp as a jazz instrument, trilling out jazz sounds wonderfully, and I mean the harp with strings, as in Wales, not another name for the mouthorgan. Brecher’s  voice is fine, with a ‘cute ‘ sound for lighter pieces and more depth when serious, and she gives lots of space in which the instruments can do their stuff.
However, I had mixed feelings about the disc as a whole, as much of the material has been improvised and it has gone a bit too far out for my taste. The voice and the band seemed to be at odds sometimes, eg Back To The Red Clay sounds ‘messy’ at the beginning, with too much scat, too few meaningful lyrics, then a rock feel which didn’t seem to fit, and the piece was a bit too long.  In fact on some of the tracks, I’d have preferred no singing at all as the instruments conveyed the music well without any additions. 
On the track Life Is Just Rhythm, for voice and drums only, there simply wasn’t enough actual rhythm and the lyrics were too complex to be effective as a song. Some tracks were better, such as the exciting Not Alone (good harp, guitar solo, ‘cute’ vocal quality) and Wild Child (wildish music, random sounding, voice used as an instrument with call and response with the other instruments). The titles of the rest of the tracks were: African Dream; Torch To Hand; and The Gift.
The CD is currently available on Penchant Four Records
Ann Alex.
Kayle Brecher (vocals); Ratzo Harris (bass); Frank Butrey (guitar); Grant Calvin Weston (drums); Brandee A Younger (harp); Gloria Galante (harp on other tracks); Benjamin Sutin (violin); Dave Dzubinski (piano); Matt Cappy (trumpet) Not all instruments play on all tracks.

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