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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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

17444 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 718 of them this year alone and, so far, 100 this month (Oct. 10).

From This Moment On ...

October

Sat 12: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Michael Woods @ Victoria Tunnel, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00. (£10.00. adv.). Country blues guitar & vocals.
Sat 12: Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.28, £11.16, £9.04. A two-track recording launch gig.
Sat 12: Stuart Turner @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues etc. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 12: Lapwing Jazz Trio @ The Ship Inn, Low Newton. 8:00pm. Free. New trio: Paula Whitty, Richard Herdman, Jude Murphy.

Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Emma Wilson @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 13: Catfish Keith @ The Cluny. 7:00pm. Country blues.
Sun 13: Cath Stephens & Paul Grainger @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Stephens & Grainger, one third of a triple bill.
Sun 13: Dulcie May Moreno Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by Nina Simone, performed by Nicholle Cherrie.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano), Paul Grainger (double bass), Bailey Rudd (drums).

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Cath Stephens’ improvisation workshop @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 4:30-6:00pm. Collaborative group focusing on vocal improvisations.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Olivia Cuttill Quintet @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 17: Moonlight Serenade Orchestra UK: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Thu 17: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Ragtime piano. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 17: Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. Guests Jeremy McMurray (keys); Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Mark Toomey (alto sax); Adrian Beadnell (bass). 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s, Crook. 7:30pm.
Fri 18: Chet Set @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Pete Tanton & co.
Fri 18: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm (upstairs). A Hoodoo Blues dance & social event. £10.00. class & social (£10.00., £7.50., £5.00. social only). Michael Woods (country blues guitar) on stage 9:00pm.
Fri 18: East Coast Swing Band @ Hexham Abbey. 7:30pm. £9.00.
Fri 18: Ben Crosland Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Durham University Jazz Society’s ‘High Standards’ @ Music Dept. Music Room, Divinity House, Palace Green, Durham University DH1 3RS. 8:009:30pm. Tel: 0191 334 1419. £7.00., £5.00.
Fri 18: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Blues Underground, Nelson St., Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

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

Sunday, June 07, 2015

CD Review: Maria Schneider Orchestra – The Thompson Fields.

(Review by David Brownlow).
The Thompson Fields is Maria Schneider’s eighth production for the  ArtistShare label and she has certainly come a long way in her career since she worked as Gil Evans’ Assistant in the mid 80s. She is an extremely talented composer who is a master of harmony, and a formidable arranger who fully utilises all the tone - colours provided by her nineteen piece Big Band with all the usual Reeds, Brass, and Rhythm sections but without recourse to electronic instruments as Gil himself did in his latter years.
Maria’s inspiration for the eight tracks comes from her love of the natural world of her home environment in Minnesota. The songs reflect the beauty of the “sights, sounds and smells of nature’s bounty.” This is quasi-classical through-composed music played by jazz musicians with jazz solos from outstanding players such as Scott Robinson, Frank Kimbrough and Marshall Gilkes. The charts are all beautifully played with a high standard of musicianship as a “given.”
Walking By Flashlight – inspired by a poem by Ted Koosner - is meditative and wistful with a warm solo from Scott Robinson on alto clarinet. The Monarch and the Milkweed is meandering, reflective piece with an astonishing trombone solo from Marshall Gilkes and a thoughtful flowing one from Greg Gisbert on fluegelhorn. The piece builds throughout the twelve minute performance culminating in a passage where the soloists improvise together. Arbiters of Evolution inspires Maria by the exotic displays and behaviours of the extraordinary Birds of Paradise of New Guinea. Here, a strong framework supports beautiful solos from Donny McCaslin and Scott Robinson. A highlight of the album The Thompson Fields is a meandering piece which features some gorgeous writing for brass, together with piano and guitar solos which complement the composer’s feel for the open prairies. Home opens chorale-like with lovely Evans-esque harmonies. Rich Perry’s tenor solo continues the contemplative mood. This piece is dedicated to George Wein whose Newport Jazz Festival gave Maria many career opportunities. 
Nimbus is a brooding, threatening song in a minor mood with dissonance throughout, especially in Steve Wilson’s alto solo. This bleak, dramatic background is at times reminiscent of Gil Evans’ The Barbara Song and is inspired by the occasion when a tornado headed towards Maria’s home and the resulting reactions of herself and her parents.
A Potter’s Song is a moving tribute to recently deceased trumpeter Laurie Frink – a long-time associate in Maria’s band. This features the accordion of Gary Versace and is the stand-out track for me. The melody and chord sequence take many unexpected turns, but each one resolves harmonically and “right.” The final track Lembranca is Maria’s take on Paulo Moura and his Samba School in Rio de Janeiro. This thirteen and a half minute long piece features a solo from trombonist Ryan Keberle in an energetic opening segment full of dynamic percussion work which segues into a calm contrasting section with a very listenable melodic bass solo from Jay Anderson. This leads to a quiet conclusion to all the excitement.
There has been a huge amount of work required to produce such an album as this and the funding for the project has come from the many participants in the ArtistShare fan base. The CD itself comes in a lavish hard-backed case with outstanding artwork and photographs illustrating the flora and fauna of Maria’s homeland area and is available from ArtistShare.
David B.
Maria Schneider (Conductor, Composer & Arranger) Steve Wilson, Dave Pietro, Rich Perry, Donny McCaslin. Scott Robinson (Reeds). Tony Kadleck, Greg Gisbert, Augie Haas, Mike Rodriguez, Keith O’Quinn, Ryan Keberle, Marshall Gilkes, George Flynn, (Brass).Gary Versace (Accordion), Lage Lund (Guitar) Frank Kimbrough (Piano) Jay Anderson (Bass), Clarence Penn (Dms) Rogerio Boccato (Percussion)

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