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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Sunday, September 11, 2016

CD Review: Dyad Plays Jazz Arias

Lou Caimano (alt); Eric Olsen (pno) + Randy Brecker (tpt/flug); Ted Nash (ten).
(Review by Lance).
Jazz Arias! Seven instrumental takes on operatic arias by a duo who've already trod that road with their previous, critically acclaimed, release - Dyad Plays Puccini. Olsen arranged 5 and Caimano 2. both did a job.
Wolfgang provides a robust opening track, Fin ch'han dal vino which translates as Until they have become hot-headed with wine from the opera Don Giovanni. Brecker is on this one and, along with Caimano and Olsen, it's as fiery as the original with all three displaying a passion that conveys Mozart's intent - perhaps the guys had gotten into the mood with some Californian vino!
Alto and piano explore Habanero from Carmen. Olsen, spritely, lithe, dancing around Bizet's composition. Caimano, solemn at first then off to La Plaza Del Toros. 
Dyad continues its captivating romp with Massenet's Méditation from Thais. In the opera, the heroine reflects upon leaving her life of luxury and pleasure to find salvation through God - as one does - although I have my doubts as to whether these two guys were on the same train.
More Carmen, this time, it's Seguidilla in which Carmen flirts with her jailer and Caimano and Olsen flirt musically.
Randy Brecker enters stage left to rejoin Dyad, this time, on flugel, for Samuel Barber's Do not utter a word from his opera Vanessa. The V girl has covered up all the mirrors in her house, refusing to face her aging self (what a brilliant idea!) and not surprisingly it has a wailing blues feel to it with Brecker at the top of his game pouring out the plaintive feeling the aria demands.
Delibes provided The Flower Duet from Lakmé and Dyad added ace tenorman Ted Nash. The pleasant waltz proved to be fertile ground for the cool sounding Nash with Olsen weaving angular patterns and Caimano adding to the bouquet.
No operatic related performance would be complete with Verdi putting in an appearance. Guiseppe was my mother's favourite composer and, I'd like to think she'd have got something from this - perhaps not although it has to be said that her son did!
Nash stays on stage for a very dark piece from Otello where Desdemona is wrongly accused of infidelity (that Iago was a right stirrer!). Dio mi potevi scagliar (God, you could have thrown every evil at me). Even unsung, it's as dramatic a piece as you can imagine and the instrumentalists convey the mood without the need for words.
A Tour de Force.
Lance.
Available September 14.

1 comment :

Unknown said...

Thanks Lance! Your wonderful comments are much appreciated! For more information, please see www.dyadplays.com. Also a new video of DYAD Plays Jazz Arias is available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM2cfXoYuxA. Thank you again for your kind words about my album!
Sincerely,
Eric Olsen

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