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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

CD Review: FRED FRIED and CORE - Core Bacharach

Fred Fried (acoustic guitar), Michael Lavoie (double bass) & Miki Matsuki (drums)
(Review by Russell).
Guitarist Fred Fried resides in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Gigging musician, teacher, Fried is a busy man with a substantial back catalogue documenting his craft. At school he played clarinet. It wasn't until he went to college that he first picked up a guitar and made the journey from playing six strings to seven to his present nylon eight string model made for him by luthier Steve Connor.
Core Bacharach is his tenth release as a leader. Bacharach. Yes, Burt Bacharach. Fried rightly states Bacharach’s tunes ‘are, by any definition, standards and as such hold up to varying interpretations.’ The tunes are so familiar that on first hearing them as instrumentals it proves difficult to free the mind (if indeed one should attempt to do so) of the originals and their sing-a-long lyrics. Fried cites Kenny Burrell and Wes Montgomery as early influences but it was, perhaps, a six month stint studying with George Van Eps that shaped his ‘conception’.
Van Eps’ pupil got to thinking ‘pianistically’ and with the addition of a low ‘A’ string below the low ‘E’ and a high ‘A’ string above the high ‘E’ expanding the range, he interchanges chords and single line improvisations with masterful sleight of hand. Bacharach’s melodies are made for the improviser. In the company of bassist Michael Lavoie and drummer Miki Matsuki  Fried respects the composer’s work but isn’t afraid to lose himself in his improvisations, secure in the knowledge that bass and drums – the trio is a previously recorded, working unit – will offer sympathetic contributions throughout. I Say a Little Prayer opens the eleven track CD with Fried’s guitar recalling the elegance of Charlie Byrd, bassist Lavoie exhibits a tasteful light touch on the first of several solos and Matsuki’s unobtrusive use of mallets is exemplary.
The Look of Love and Walk on By are given a stately treatment.  An additional chord sequence of Fried’s added to Wives and Lovers showcases the trio’s collective swing feel (tight, fizzing work from Matsuki) and on What’s New Pussycat? Lavoie’s funk vibe launches Fried on a soaring solo flight and the man from Cape Cod disappears into the distance over the Atlantic (the studio engineer’s fade out!).
Lavoie’s warm, resonant sound and Matsuki’s lush brush work on A House is Not a Home complement the leader’s introspective invention but it isn't long before the swing feel returns on Bacharach’s joyful message This Guy’s in Love With You. The set closes with a solo piece from Fried.
On first listening to the CD the thought occurred – is there an unaccompanied track by the leader? Alfie is the track. Excellent guitar playing from Fried. Excellent playing from all three musicians. A fine new CD (Fried’s back catalogue should be worth checking out), Core Bacharach by Fred Fried and CORE is available on Ballet Tree Jazz Productions. Visit www.fredfried.com
Russell.

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