Total Pageviews

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.

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).  

No comments :

Blog Archive