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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Tuesday, September 09, 2014

CD Review: Thomas Maintz - Present

Thomas Maintz (electric/acoustic guitars); Scott Colley (bass); Jonathan Blake    (drums)
(Review by JC)
I am a big fan of jazz guitarists, particularly when they play acoustic guitar as well, and so was keen to listen to this album. Thomas Maintz is a Danish guitarist whose last album This is the Colour.. .released in 2009 garnered many positive reviews and was nominated for 'Best Danish Jazz Album' at the Danish Music Awards. This latest recording Present was made in New York with a couple of fine musicians, Scott Colley and Johnathan Blake.
Ten of the twelve tracks are written by Maintz, and the other two are Very Early by Bill Evans (which gets a rather meagre running time of 2.51) and If I Should Lose You by Robin/Rainger (allocated a more generous 6.58).
All the members of the trio are clearly excellent musicians and they give the album a highly polished quality. Maintz produces many melodic runs and plenty of warm chordal backing but only on some of the tracks did I feel that the music moved up a gear. One of the most successful is New York Butterfly where Maintz plays with more attack and the bass and drums demonstrate their jazz chops as well. The Bill Evans tune, Very Early, is another fine piece - short but perfectly formed - and Secret Hallway, which is dedicated to Jim Hall (who is clearly a big influence), has a rich mellowness and much of Hall's expressive qualities. Interestingly the bass player Scott Colley, has also played with Hall.
On the acoustic tracks, Maintz plays a baritone guitar, which the notes say 'gives the compositions a dark, warm sound' and this is undoubtedly true. The tone and texture of these tracks is delicious but the pacing is quite slow and sometimes I would have liked a more dynamic quality in the guitar playing.
Rightly, everyone in the trio gets plenty of opportunity to demonstrate their considerable musical abilities and Scott Colley embellishes many of the tracks with fine solo touches. But it is the drumming of Jonathan Blake that really stands out. No matter what is happening around him he continually produces a range of exquisitely timed and perfectly appropriate fills and trills, whizzes and fizzes, rings, dings and kerchings, bips, bops and bams which are constantly inventive and engaging.
Present is released by Beach Farm Records in collaboration with Gateway.
JC.

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