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Bebop Spoken There

Billy Boy Arnold: “As long as you don't think old you're good.” - DownBeat, December, 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!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Postage

16034 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1041 of them this year alone and, so far, 73 this month (Nov. 27).

From This Moment On ...

December

Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ All Saints Church, Cleadon. 7:00pm. Concert in the church hall. BYOB.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Sid White. The best free show in town!

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 8:00pm. Free. Note later start time, concert performance (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay, Newcastle. 12 noon - 4:00pm. £26.00 (inc 3-course meal in in St Mary's Lighthouse Suite). SOLD OUT!
Thu 07: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 07: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.Donations. Feat. Mark Sanders. CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00. Downstairs.
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club: Just Friends @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. Guest band night w. Richie Emmerson, Ian Bosworth, Dave Archbold, Ron Smith, Mark Hawkins. 9:00pm.

Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle. 1:00pm. £7.00.
Fri 08: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Woodland Village Hall, Bishop Auckland. 7:00pm. £12.00.
Fri 08: Sleep Suppressor + Redwell @ Head of Steam, Neville St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv); £5.00. student.
Fri 08: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert's Church, Shadforth, Co. Durham.
Fri 08: Têtes de Pois + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £8.00.

Sat 09: Prudhoe Community Band @ Central Station, Newcastle. 10:00am - 12 noon. Charity fundraiser.
Sat 09: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Skinnergate, Darlington. 1:00pm.
Sat 09: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 09: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Middleton & Todridge Village Hall, Morpeth. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sat 09: Paul Skerritt @ Slaley Hall, Hexham NE47 0BX. 7:30pm. From £42.00.

Sun 10: Musicians Unlimited’s Xmas Party with Zoe Gilby Quartet @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. MU 1:00-3:00pm; Zoë Gilby Quartet 4:00-6:00pm. Tickets: £7.50.
Sun 10: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Funk Soul Sista @ Stack, Seaburn. 5:00-7:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Beth Clarke @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 10: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Whittingham Memorial Institute, Alnwick. 7:30pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 10: Tele-Port @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Zhenya Strigalev.

Mon 11: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 11: Interim Final Recitals @ Newcastle University. Details TBC.

Tue 12: Stu Collingwood Organ Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £10.00.

Monday, November 12, 2012

CD Review: Masha Campagne Like Water, Like Air


Masha Campagne (vocals); Guinga (acoustic guitar, spoken word); Hendrik Meurkens (vibes, harmonica); Weber Iago (piano, fender rhodes); Harvey Wainapel (bass clarinet, alto sax); Jeff Buenz (electric guitar, nylon string guitar); Dan Robbins acoustic and electric bass); Jason Lewis (drums); Michael Spiro (percussion); Guello (percussion).
(Review by Ann Alex).
I have a confession.  I was tempted to review this CD without listening to it!  I could maybe have got away with such a trick, because there are copious notes enclosed, including all the song lyrics, descriptions of how each song is performed in jazz-like language, and seven photos of the singer, one of poster size.  The only item missing was a photo of the instrumentalists, which I’d have liked.
I'm so glad I did listen to it, as it’s a happy, flowing collection of Latin-influenced jazz, sung well, with every word crystal clear, both in English and Spanish/Portuguese songs.  Not bad for a singer who was born in Moscow!  The lady is also a trained musician who studied piano and cello, and she has sung at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
So readers will understand if I quote from the notes.  It Could Happen To You starts us off with ‘infectiously groovy’ piano hooks and the singer’s tasteful phrasing and vocalise which is never overdone. Jobim’s Outra Vez gives us the bossa nova and solos from guitar and harmonica (yes, I did say harmonica), a small instrument with a big contribution to make.  There are four original numbers, including Campagne’s Broke But Rich, and this woman is no mean lyricist, for example:
Bake your bread, make your tea
Without a crave, without care
Be broke but rich at heart and free
Se E Tarde Me Perdoa has ‘lively syncopations from percussionist Michael Spiro matching Campagne’s effortless sense of timing’ and ‘solid altoism’ from the sax.  I was intrigued by the song Mystery Unwrapped as it could be about a one night stand, or a visit from a guardian angel.  Meukens ‘swaps comb for mallets’, which adds a fluid touch to the vibes.  My Heart Was Lost And Found For You is sung ‘with a smile in her voice’.
It seems to me that Latin jazz has a different quality from the more usual standards, which shows on this CD.  It’s jazz in the sunshine, even when it’s a sad song, and it is more likely to refer to birds, nature, and the sea.  Enjoy!
The CD was released recently on the Impetus Records Inc label.
Ann Alex      

1 comment :

Masha Campagne said...

Dear Ann, thank you for your amazing review! I'm happy you ventured into listening to my CD and made deep observations about lyrics and overall wistfully but happy quality of it! That was, indeed, my intention as an artist! All the best!

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