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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

17328 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 612 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (Sept. 5).

From This Moment On ...

September

Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Giles Strong Quartet @ BAA Fest, Brownrigg Lodges, Bellingham. 2:40pm.
Sun 08: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 08: Graham Hardy’s Eclectic Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: ???

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. A ‘second Wednesday in the month’ jam session.
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 12: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:30pm. £4.00. ‘A Great Day in Harlem’.
Thu 12: The Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Pete Tanton & co.
Thu 12: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. THC with guests Donna Hewitt, Bill Watson, Dave Archbold, Adrian Beadnell, Mark Hawkins.

Fri 13: Jeff Barnhart & Neville Dickie @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Two pianos, two pianists! SOLD OUT!
Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Dilutey Juice @ Old Coal Yard, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.00. adv..
Fri 13: Ray Stubbs R & B All-stars @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. Classic blues.

Sat 14: Jeff Barnhart’s Silent Film Fest @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 14: Customs House Big Band w. Ruth Lambert @ St Paul’s Centre, St Paul’s Gardens, Spennymoor DL16 7LR. 7:00pm (6:45pm doors). Tickets £10.00. from the venue or tel: 01388 813404. A ‘BYOB’ event.
Sat 14: Emma Wilson @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. £12.00. Acoustic blues.
Sat 14: Rat Pack - Swingin’ at the Sands @ Billingham Forum. 7:30pm.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

CD Review: Don Laka - Afro Chopin

(Review by Ann Alex)
Don Laka, internationally renowned jazz musician, composer, accomplished classical guitarist, self-taught pianist and also a well-known, innovative, multi-platinum selling artist in South Africa working with musicians such as Hugh Masekela, Afro Chopin is regarded as his most exciting and challenging project to date. Chopin is Laka’s favourite composer, and his music has been skilfully fused with the multi-instrumentalist's Kwaii jazz style, South African jazz chords and the rhythms of Marabi and Kwela music.
But the best way to enjoy this fine CD is to simply listen; you’ll recognise many of the Chopin pieces, but you’ll hear them with new ears, Chopin literally off beat, with African drum rhythms, long piano solos with riffs which could have come straight from a township band, strong loud sax and a hint of steel pan samples.  A great CD for parties but also for close listening.  Impress your friends with your classy choice of jazz albums!
For those of you who know your Chopin, I’ll list the tracks, which all have evocative and sometimes amusing subtitles:-
Etude No. 3 (Big Mountain) - an arresting opening with drumbeats, effective keys, and hints of Caribbean steel pan.
Prelude No. 20 (Izulu).
Waltz in A flat Major (I Sing For You)   - a slinky waltz with good use of cymbals.
Prelude No. 1 (Hope) - listen for an exciting, fast keys solo.
Nocturne in F Minor   (Oh Such a Beautiful Place).
Prelude No. 3 in G Major (Ramasedi).
Mazurka No. 1 in A Minor (Imbazo)  - samples of African voices repeating the title in the background are quite moving.
Prelude No.15 in D Flat Major (My Heart Sings).
Waltz in C Major (Pretty Shades Eyes) - a beautiful slow, meditative waltz.
Mazurka in F Sharp Minor (Dusty Streets) - with beat box samples and jazzy riffs, what would Chopin have made of this?  Probably he’d have loved it once he became used to the sounds of the modern world.
Prelude 7 in A Major (Take A Short Left) - the title fits the tune. Lyrics anyone?
Enjoy! The CD is currently available and will be released worldwide on October 30 on Bokone Music.  
Ann Alex
Don Laka (piano, keyboard, samples, also string bass, percussion on some tracks, arrangements, production, mixing); Pat Mokoka (5 string bass); Oupa Makhubela (guitar); Rob Watson (drums on all tracks); Sello Montoedi (drums); Aiyo Solanke (ten/sop sax on all tracks); Percy Mbonani (ten sax); Julius Nkuna (percussion).

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