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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 2023).

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!"

Postage

15478 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 499 of them this year alone and, so far, 120 this month (May 27).

From This Moment On ...

May 2023

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 31: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 31: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 31: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

June
Thu 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations.
Thu 01: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 01: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: Joseph Carville Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 02: Claire Martin & Her Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £25.00., £20.00. Feat. Jim Mullen, Alex Garnett & Jeremy Brown.
Fri 02: Guy Davis + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm. Blues double bill.
Fri 02: Anders Ingram @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Country blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 04: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 04: Central Bar Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. £5.00. The Central Bar Quintet plays Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Featuring Lewis Watson.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 04: Struggle Buggy + Michael Littlefield @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues.
Sun 04: Swinging at the Cotton Club: Harry Strutters' Hot Rhythm Orchestra @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 04: Richard Jones Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Saturday, November 06, 2010

Review: The Penguin Jazz Guide by James Morton & Richard Cook.

The package landed in the passage with a resounding thud. The Tenth Edition of the PENGUIN JAZZ GUIDE sub-titled, The History of the Music in the 1001 Best Albums had arrived.
Wow!
I'm still working from the Fourth Edition!
Actually, the previous edition - Edition 9 - is about twice the size of this one but, as this latest one is near half the price, I guess that's fair enough.
The Tenth Edition doesn't claim to be a near complete listing of an artists output - will that ever be possible again other than online? The number of budget reissues from questionable sources coupled with self-produced albums make discographies and books such as this an almost impossible task from the point of view of total completeness
However, instead of attempting an en masse approach, the author(s) have opted for the 1001 best jazz recordings which, although subjective, is still a daunting task. Nevertheless, this must surely be as good a guide as anything else around and if you've got one of the previous editions then they will complement each other.
Originally compiled by Brian Morton and the late Richard Cook, Morton now goes it alone although Richard's name remains as co-author and I can only wonder how even two persons could so accurately assess so many recordings let alone one person!
It is a wonderful tome running to some 700 plus pages that, just like my previous edition, I know I will dip into many times and of course make comparisions. I will nod approvingly, shake my head in disagreement or maybe raise a quizical eyebrow but, most of all, I will be glad to have it to hand - it should be on every serious jazz-lover's bookshelf.
I do have one small - although important - nitpick. The chapters are set out, in the main, in half-decades and nowhere is there any form of alphabetical layout or even an index which is frustrating and timetaking if you are checking to see if an album has been included.
Perhaps this will be addressed in a future issue. It is still a tremendous book not just as a work of reference but for a jolly good read. The quotes from musicians on the albums are worth the price alone. I may post a few once I've had the chance to savour them all.
A snip at £20 it is available from the usual sources or can be purchased post free from Penguin books up until Jan 31, 2011. Lance.

1 comment :

The LondonJazz site said...

Hi Lance,

This may be of interest: I asked Brian Morton to explain the background to the new book to me.

We talked a lot but here is the quick summary.

Talk soon. Sebastian

http://londonjazz.blogspot.com/2010/11/penguin-jazz-guide-published-this.html

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