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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, November 04, 2016

CD Review: Paula Santoro & Ian Faquini - Metal na Madeira (Metal on Wood)

(Review by Steve T)
In 1979, as Jazz-funk descended into elevator music - some say it always was - Sonny Rollins live at Montreux was broadcast by the BBC throwing me a welcome lifeline in Jazz.
Some followed the demise all the way to smooth Jazz but others leapt on to the acid/Jazz/dance scene, modelled on Northern Soul from whence many of the DJs had evolved, and making heroes of artists like Mark Murphy and Houston Person, while relegating Miles and Trane to one hit wonders (Milestones, Mr PC respectively) and ignoring Satch, Duke and Bird altogether.
Latin Jazz, specifically from Brazil, found favour within the higher echelons of the scene, based largely on The Girl from Ipanema by Getz/Gilberto.
It turned out that Major Lance, the King of Northern Soul, was the second most successful soul act to come out of Chicago in the sixties and similarly, Girl from Ipanema is the second most covered song in the world, ahead of Summertimethough it's unclear whether Editor Lance has asked for a recount.
In the spirit of inclusivity, any and all Brazilian music is classed as Jazz, but much of this album says to me 'folk music', and I'm fascinated to read in the notes that Paula Santoro is a 'blend of Jazz and Brazilian Popular Music' (with a background in progressive rock).
To me, it fits more snugly into another Western construct, 'World Music' which includes any music that isn't almost entirely influenced by the British and American hegemony, with no consideration of whether the music is deemed classical, folk or popular within its own culture.
The album begins in upbeat fashion with Sereia and I can imagine it a dance-floor hit in places such as Newcastle’s Hoochie Coochie. The next three tracks are slowed down, more melody led and perfectly suited to Santoro’s luminous voice, climaxing in the sublime Vasta Ilha with only her deep, expressive vocals, acoustic guitar and light brushwork.
The title track picks up the pace again with busy horns, backing vocals and short solos on soprano and trombone, before a return to the small group format of singer and guitar on one, adding accordion on another, clarinet on another and bass and drums on another.
For once I even like the accordion which seems more 'organic' in this setting and not just present for novelty value as it so often is. And I'm pleased to say the song, like all the songs on the album, is sung entirely in Portuguese.
When I saw Ed Motta and Gilberto Gil at Sage Gateshead and when I play music for my best man’s Brazilian wife, I'm always struck by how everyone knows all of this music which is largely a mystery to Western ears and can sing along to all of it, but there's also enough here to appeal to a Western audience with a penchant for Latin Jazz, World music, South American folk or Brazilian pop.
It's already available on Ridgeway Records Rising Stars.
Steve T.
Paula Santoro (vocal), Ian Faquini (acoustic guitar, vocal).
Rafael Barata (drums, percussion), Scott Thompson (bass), Vitor Gonçalves (accordion, Rhodes), Harvey Wainapel (alto sax, clarinet), Jeff Cressman (trombone), Spok (soprano, spoken word), Sergio Krakowski (pandeiro),  Vivien Monica Golcwajg, Sandy Cressman (backing vocals).  

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