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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

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 13: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 13: Infusion Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm.
Tue 13: Alice Grace & Pawel Jedrzejewski @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv.).

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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