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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.

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, March 20, 2016

CD Review: Darren English - Imagine Nation.

Darren English (tpt); Kenny Banks Jr. (pno); Billy Thornton (bs); Chris Burroughs (dms) + Carmen Bradford (vcl); Greg Tardy (ten); Russell Gunn (tpt); Joe Gransden (tpt).
(Review by Lance).
I must confess that when confronted with an album of originals, I tend to flinch and prepare to bite the bullet. I realise that is the wrong attitude as every tune that was ever written was once an 'original'. However, not all of today's jazz musicians are Monk, Miles, Duke, Dizzy or Bird when it comes to laying down a tune, irrespective of their instrumental skills.
English, a South African-born resident of Atlanta Ga, combines the best of both worlds with six standards and four originals - three of which are part of a suite that pays tribute to Nelson Mandela.
Pledge For Peace cleverly intertwines a radio interview with Mandela who talks about being a freedom fighter. English blows a chorus without a mouthpiece, Tardy is far from tardy on tenor and English retrieves his mouthpiece to great effect.
The Birth represents the birth of a new nation with some frenetic tenor playing - an agonising, ultimately triumphant representation of the battle against apartheid.
Bullet in the Gunn - I don't know quite what the title's all about but I do know that it swings its ass off!
The standards display his lyricism, bringing to mind Clifford Brown or Lee Morgan.
Carmen Bradford adds her distinctive vocals to What a Little Moonlight Can Do and Skylark - I want to hear this lady again!
Three trumpets blow on Cherokee - perhaps the best trumpet tear up since Ellington's Trumpet no End! Maybe the best trumpet carvery ever!
Russell Gunn (one of the trumpets) recalls that English's request to sit in at one of his gigs was the first time any of the students on the "Jazz Programmes" of the local universities had done so.  This indicated to him that this young man was serious, That he knew that jazz is a life choice, not a fallback career, a supplemental income or something to do until you're tired of being broke.
Apologies for not mentioning the rhythm guys but they're right on the money. On a disc like this it was put up or shut up - they put up!
Lance.

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