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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.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

CD Review: Vo-Duo - Nou La

Monvelyno Alexis – Guitar/Vocals; Markus Schwartz – Percussion
(Review by Steve)
Nou La is the first album by Vo-Duo and draws on the traditional Haitian Voodoo tradition for it’s content both lyrically and musically. All songs are sung in local language Kreyol although helpfully the liner notes translate all the lyrics into English. The practice of Voodoo in Haiti originates from the time of West African enslavement  and in the past this album may have been labelled patronisingly as World music but this is Afro-Haitian Jazz.
  Monvelyno Alexis was born in Haiti and is a student of folk arts besides being a poet and mult talented musician.  Schwartz born in Denmark has practiced the art of Haitian drumming for over 20 years. The pair came together after meeting in New York’s Jazz scene and recorded this album in Brooklyn last year.
The album begins with an a cappella track Bonjou welcoming us all to Vo-Duo. The second track Alegba Gran Chemin has a real jazz feel to it and is a call to the spirits for help for the struggling country Haiti. The next song Pale Mal (Bad Talk) is a sweet rhythmic rolling tune with great backing harmonies from Schwartz. This is followed by Kouzen a sad song with moving vocals and great jazzy guitar from Alexis. Track 5 Wongol is  a soft melodic number lamenting that ‘the spirit’ has left and Haiti is now damaged.  This is followed by Frelele (The Struggle)  again focusing on the hardships befallen Haiti and features some almost scat like vocals towards the end of the track. Simbi Makaya is more up tempo with a recognisable Jazz guitar feel and deals with the magical spirit as it enters the cemetery. The penultimate song Zilibo is a lively song with a great beat. The final number Gede Man Lajan  a song about the spirits helping to rebuild the country and has some really mellow vocals from Alexis accompanied by sympathetic percussion from Schwartz.
This is a passionate and moving album focusing on a country that has been ravaged by many disasters but  although the content is heavy the music is bright, rhythmic and full of hope for the future.
Steve.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Very good review Steve! Thanks.

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