Total Pageviews

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

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Manjula @ The Jazz Café – Nov.27

Vanessa Rani (vocals & percussion), Joe Harris (guitar), Simon Read (double bass) & Sam Bell (percussion).
(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Mike Tilley).
Leeds College of Music has cultivated many fine musicians. Many of them find their way to Newcastle to play a gig. At the Jazz Café a new voice captivated the audience. Vanessa Rani possesses a fabulous voice, she’s a natural talent. Working with Ms Rani in the band Manjula are three top notch musicians; percussionist (and reassuring presence) Sam Bell, bassist Simon Read (himself leading a band at a young age) and guitarist Joe Harris.
Rani began with a tune she liked – a tune by Jamiroquai. Quietly funky, quietly grooving, nothing wrong with that. The self-effacing Rani confided that the boys in the band were a little less impressed with the once-hip mega star! A good tune is a good tune – play it! An indisputably good tune – Nature Boy – worked well, Rani’s rich vocals swirling round an interesting intro, pitch perfect. Rani is a composer; My Forefathers and Brother explored her heritage, the latter number perhaps recalling Marvin Gaye and Gil Scott Heron.
Angelique Kidjo’s Malaika featured guitarist Joe Harris. Considered, fearlessly few notes, searching, getting there. Rani sat throughout two sets – as did Bell and Harris – with a set list atop of congas. With some trepidation the vocalist joined Bell as a percussion duo on Paper Pictures, another original number, about the shortcomings of Facebook. Rani did a more than decent job and later revealed that Sam Bell has encouraged her to learn to play the instrument. Another brace of originals, then Afro Blue. A highlight of the gig, without a doubt. Soaring vocals…no, make that effortless, soaring vocals, Rani – the vocalist and percussionist! – excelled, yet generously afforded solo space to Harris and Read ahead of a stupendous percussive coda. Huge applause, subsequently Sam Bell told us that earlier in the day Vanessa almost talked herself out of taking on the percussive part. Thankfully, she went for it. To finish, Rani sang Angola. Passionate, talented, Vanessa Rani is a star in the making! 
Russell.

No comments :

Blog Archive