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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 23: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 4:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Mon 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

CD Review: Jacqui Dankworth - Live To Love

Jacqui Dankworth (vocals); Charlie Wood (Fender Rhodes, piano, organ); Chris Allard (acc/elec guitars,); Geoff Gascoyne (elec/acc bass, synth programming, celeste); Ben Castle (sop/ten sax); Mike Smith, Ralph Salmins (drums); Paul Clarvis (percussion) The Brodsky Quartet: Daniel Rowland, Ian Belton(violins); Paul Cassidy (viola);  Jacqueline Thomas (cello).
(Review by Ann Alex)
I agree with the quote from the Guardian critic, who says ‘she exhibits a subtle control of dynamics and a voluptuous tonal richness that seems to make almost any material sound special.’ This is a fine album of love songs, but love in the widest sense, four standards and ten original songs, not wholly jazz but with strong jazz influences.  I was interested to note that there is a slight similarity of tone reminiscent of her mother’s voice (Cleo Lane) and just a hint of her mother’s looks, but Ms Dankworth is very much her own person as a singer.
The four standards are Wayne Shorter’s Palladium, a catchy, jagged tune which seems to go round in circles; I Took Your Hand (Pieranunzi/Feather) all about love at first sight; a gentle version of Someday We’ll All Be Free (Hathaway/Howard); and Johnny Mercer’s Something’s Gotta Give, done so skilfully with just a tricky acoustic bass and voice.  How on earth she kept to the tune is a mystery to me.
The originals include an African-sounding Malala with lots of band soloing, clapping and drumming; All Is Quiet, an anti-slavery song about a lonely slave girl who is symbolised by the melancholy tenor sax; this is wisely followed by an upbeat song in praise of love with a happy keys solo; and we have the entertaining reggae influenced theme from Tomorrow’s World.  No readers, I hadn’t realised that this tune was written by John Dankworth, and Jacqui has added amusing lyrics about quantum mechanics, remember that from school? The Brodsky Quartet add much to tracks such as All Is Quiet, blending their sound well with the more conventional jazz instruments and not standing out as something ‘different’.  And with seven other original tracks, the album makes for good listening.
Jacqui Dankworth - Live To Love is due  for release on September 30 on Specific Jazz There is also a Live To Love tour beginning on October 2, but the nearest it comes to Tyneside is York on October 9.  More info.
Ann Alex.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Congrats on being the only review I've come across that gave the musicians involved. It answered my question. The words synth programming acted like the warning skull and cross bone on a packet of poison.

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