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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

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.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

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.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Friday, August 19, 2016

CD Review: Fred Hersch Trio - Sunday Night at The Village Vanguard

Fred Hersch (piano); John Hébert (bass); Eric McPherson (drums).
Review by Dave Brownlow.
Hersch, rightfully acknowledged as one of today’s jazz masters is, like good wine, maturing with age! His choice of challenging material inspires himself and his cohorts to enthusiastically respond with vitality and sensitivity – especially, here, in the freer atmosphere of  this March 2016 session at The Village Vanguard NYC, scene of so many classic recordings.

Rogers and Hammerstein’s A Cock-eyed Optimist (an unusual vehicle for a jazz group), after an ‘impressionist’ intro, bounces cheerfully along, yes, even optimistically, with Fred spinning long lines in the upper registers of the piano.
Serpentine, the first of four originals, is a minor-keyed piece in an out-of-tempo ‘free’ style where all three contribute equally.
The Optimum Thing based on the chord changes of Irving Berlin’s The Best Thing For You opens at a brisk tempo then accelerates to a gallop. (On other nights, I’m informed, it decelerates!) This contrafact is a similar idea to Lee Konitz’ SubconsciousLee which uses Cole Porter’s What Is This Thing Called Love for its chordal base.
Calligram - an avant-garde piece dedicated to French pianist Benoit Delbecq who writes his scores in graphics. Clusters of atonal notes á la Cecil Taylor, and seemingly unconnected, lines of music abounding. McPherson’s drums clatter away in the background in the Elvin Jones style - Make of it what you will!  Blackwing Palomino (the name of a brand of pencil) is Hersch’s fourth original. A cleverly-chorded bluesy piece which swings along with a logically developed piano solo and great support from bass and drums. Again, McPherson is prominent throughout with a constant commentary of stylish rhythm.
Lennon and McCartney’s For No One is given a slow rendition far removed from the Beatles’ own take. Hersch knows the sad lyrics about a breakup and delivers a performance which draws a sympathetic response from the audience.
Kenny Wheeler’s Everybody’s Song But My Own is a wonderful tribute to the trumpeter who died last year. This is a song which everyone seems to know because it is based on a musical device known as ‘The Circle Of  Fifths’ which has been used by composers from time immemorial. Kenny Wheeler’s title ironically points this out !
Jimmy Rowles’ The Peacocks is a ballad the melody of which uses many chromatic intervals and is difficult to play – that’s why it’s not often heard. The trio gives a masterly performance with some shimmering interplay between the keyboard and percussion – one of the highlights of the album.
Fred Hersch always closes a set with a Monk piece – this time it’s We See which bounds along with impish humour. His own chordal choices show respect for the original, amply enhancing the performance to great audience reaction.
Valentine is the unaccompanied encore. This is quite an exquisite melody (to which Norma Winstone added some powerful lyrics on a previous duo setting) given a simple but emotional performance by the pianist to round off another great CD.
Overall then, a fine album with nods to the past, present and future
Available now from Palmetto-Records.com or Amazon or download it from itunes.
Dave Brownlow

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