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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

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.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

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

Thursday, May 22, 2014

CD Review: Tessa Souter - Beyond the Blue.

Tessa Souter (vocal); Steve Kuhn (piano); David Finck (bass); Billy Drummond (drums); Joe Locke (vibes); Gary Versace (accordion); Joel Frahm (saxes).
(Review by Lance).
In my misspent youth my parents would throw up their arms in horror at what they, and many others of their generation, would refer to as "Jazzin' the Classics". In my case, it was usually a syncopated version of The Minuet in G. In retrospect, their anguish at my efforts (on violin) is now fully understandable. Less comprehensible was that they also raised their arms at Art Tatum's more successful efforts - Massenet's Elegy and Dvorák's Humoresque being two that spring to mind.
I'd like to think that, had they still been around, they may have been more tolerant of this brilliant album by Tessa Souter who sings standards based on classical themes. Thus, we have Prelude to the Sun (Beethoven's 7th); The Lamp is Low (Ravel's Pavane); Dance With Me (Borodin's Polynesian Dances); Chiaroscuro (Albinoni's Adagio in G min.); My Reverie (Debussy); En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor (Rodrigo); Sunrise (Brahms 3rd); Baubles, Bangles, Beads (Borodin); Beyond the Blue (Chopin's Prelude in E min.); The Darkness of Your Eyes (Faure's Pavane); Noa's Dream (Schubert's Serenade) and Brand New Day (Faure's Elegy).  
The disc rated number 6 on London Times' best jazz records of 2013. Singers Mark Murphy and Sheila Jordan also gave Ms Souter the thumbs up and I guess they know what they're talking about!
Somehow, the lady had slipped under my radar - not any more!
Apart from the vocals, the band is tops with outstanding solos by Frahm, Kuhn and Joe Locke along with an accordion blast by Versace - is the accordion back in fashion?
Souter Lighthouse is a listed North East (UK) landmark that, over the years, helped sailors to avoid ending up on the rocks.
This Souter CD provides a similar service for aspiring singers.
Lance.
PS: Check out Beyond the Blue and other Tessa Souter CDs here.

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