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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

Thursday, September 04, 2014

CD/DVD Review: Annie Ross - To Lady With Love

Annie Ross (vcl); Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli (gtr).
(Obeisance by Lance).
Forget Annie by Candlelight - no don't forget it, the album was and is a vocal classic - as was the ground-breaking vocalese of Twisted and Farmer's Market. The Lambert/Hendricks/Ross discs were also important albums that helped to establish Annie Ross as one of the all-time great jazz singers. Yet, To Lady With Love is something else - even by Annie's back catalogue - this is un disque hors catégorie!
On a purely vocal level there are probably a 1000+ singers from Tyneside to Timbuktu with a better voice than Ross has these days. The range is extremely limited but, when it comes to an emotive interpretation, there isn't one in a million who comes within a country mile of Annie Ross in this tribute to Billie Holiday (I've been reminded that Sheila Jordan could be included in that elite group!).
Inspired by Lady Day's Lady in Satin this is the tribute. Ironically, coming as it did at the end of Billie Holiday's turbulent life, Lady in Satin was panned at the time by critics who failed to see beyond the croaked despatch, unable to see into the tortured soul behind the voice. Now the album's true value is belatedly being acknowledged.
That "Lady" Ross recognised and appreciated it in this recording is self evident. 84 year old, the voice reduced to almost the spoken word, the end result is, nevertheless, the most emotional album I've ever heard since, and possibly including, Lady in Satin.
For All We Know; I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You; I'm a Fool to Want You; Violets for Your Furs; You Don't Know What Love Is; You've Changed; When Your Lover Has Gone; I Get Along Without You Very Well; It's Easy to Remember; Travellin' Light; Music is Forever. Each word, each phrase, uttered with feeling and, inescapably, wound around my heart.
As if this wasn't enough, the Pizzarelli father and son team are on hand to provide the panacea for the pain.
My guitar ear isn't sufficiently developed to say who plays what but both are brilliant whether soloing or supporting Annie or each other.
On the DVD that accompanies the CD all three participants talk in glowing terms about the session which was completed in five hours.
Annie Ross - To Lady With Love will be available on Red Anchor CAP 1047 on October 7.
Lance.
PS: Make sure you have a  box of tissues handy to absorb the tears all but the hardest of Hannah's (and Henry's) will experience listening to the track Nothing is Forever.  Afterwards, dry the tears, pour the bubbly and propose a toast to Annie, Bucky, John and, of course, Billie.
I'll drink to that.

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