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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.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

CD Review: Centennial - Newly Discovered Works of Gil Evans.

(Review by David Brownlow).
An American arranger called Ryan Truesdell (no, I hadn’t heard of him either) has assembled a stellar group of musicians and soloists to perform and record ten previously unheard works of Gil Evans on the one hundredth anniversary of his birth. The pieces have been recently discovered among the manuscripts kept by Gil’s family – wife Anita and sons Miles and Noah – and used with their permission.
There are pieces drawn from three areas of Gil’s career i.e. “The Thornhill Years” “The Individualism of” and the “Vocalists”.
Thornhill: Maids of Cadiz; How About You; Who’ll Buy My Violets; Dancing on a Great Big Rainbow.
Individualism: Punjab; Barbara Song; Waltz/Variation on the misery; So Long. 
Vocalists: Smoking my Sad Cigarette; Beg Your Pardon; Look to the Rainbow.

The “Thornhill” pieces are shorter and have a delightful mid - 1940s feel including some “Danny Polo”-ish clarinet from Scott Robinson and early “Red Rodney”- ish brassy trumpet from Greg Gisbert. All exhibit Gil’s typically ingenious orchestrations with rich textures and adventurous, unexpected voicings of instruments.
The three “Individualism” items are longer explorations of Gil’s which point the way towards his later work including extended solo sections. There are “David Sanborn/Chris Hunter” style alto solos from Steve Weston, some exceptional free-flowing vibes work from Joe Locke (standout soloist for me ) and some pithy choruses from Donny McCaslin on tenor.
A version of“Punjab” was recorded in 1964 but never released. Ryan Truesdell added tabla accompaniment to the arrangement and it now flows sympathetically. In “Barbara Song”, Gil used a section which emerged later in his career as “Copenhagen Sight” and “London”. Gil often returned to arrangements - sometimes years later- to review or revise them. “Waltz/Variation” spans 500 bars making it the longest work of Gil’s. The main theme is “The Time of the Barracudas” in which he developed and added to by extending sections and adding new melodic content. Truesdell considers it to be Gil’s “magnum opus” as it exemplifies his extraordinary abilities as a composer. One can only agree !
The three “vocal” pieces are :-
“Smoking my sad cigarette” sung by Kate McGarry
“Beg Your Pardon” sung by Wendy Gillies
“Look to the Rainbow” sung by Luciana Souza
Each of these songs showcase Gil’s unique skills in a different way. The only criticism I have is that at times, the backdrops are a little too busy - detracting slightly from the vocals.
In conclusion, this CD is a respectful tribute to Gil from Ryan Truesdell, the Evans family and ourselves, the jazz-loving public.
David Brownlow.

1 comment :

Ann Braithwaite said...

Thanks much for posting David Brownlow's review of Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Centennial CD.
I most appreciate it.
All the best,
Ann Braithwaite

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