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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 2023).

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!"

Postage

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

June
Thu 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations.
Thu 01: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 01: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: Joseph Carville Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 02: Claire Martin & Her Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £25.00., £20.00. Feat. Jim Mullen, Alex Garnett & Jeremy Brown.
Fri 02: Guy Davis + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm. Blues double bill.
Fri 02: Anders Ingram @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Country blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 04: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 04: Central Bar Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. £5.00. The Central Bar Quintet plays Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Featuring Lewis Watson.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 04: Struggle Buggy + Michael Littlefield @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues.
Sun 04: Swinging at the Cotton Club: Harry Strutters' Hot Rhythm Orchestra @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 04: Richard Jones Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 04: Jam No. 18 @ Fabio's Bar, Saddler Street, Durham. 8:00pm. Free. All welcome. A Durham University Jazz Society event.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Monday, December 21, 2015

CD Review: The Count Basie Orchestra – A Very Swinging Christmas (Concord Jazz CJA-38450-02)

(Review by Peter Bevan)
This CD arrived too late for my regular CD review column in the Northern Echo but I think it’s well worth a plug here.
Normally I’m pretty averse to Christmas albums, jazz or otherwise, and long running tribute bands normally start to fade after a while, but this made me think again.
It’s 80 years since the original Count Basie Orchestra was launched and it’s been 30ish since this revival band was formed.
Scotty Barnhart, a member of the trumpet section for 20 years, was appointed director a year or two ago and judging by this he has revitalised the band.
What also helps is that veteran arranger Sammy Nestico, now 90, was persuaded to come up with two new arrangements, his first for the band in 35 years – Jingle Bells and Good “Swing” Wenceslas, and Big Phat Band leader and Grammy winner Gordon Goodwin arranged It’s the Holiday Season, The Christmas Song and Sleigh Ride with other arrangements by Scotty Barnhart and Frank Foster among others.
Two more veterans, both octogenarians also contribute – pianist Ellis Marsalis plays some suitably sparse but swinging piano, and tenor player Plas Johnson guest solos on I’ll be Home for Christmas.
The three vocals are by Johnny Mathis on It’s the Holiday Season, Ledisi on The Christmas Song and Carmen Bradford – originally hired by Basie himself – brings us Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas but the rest are instrumentals.
The album was produced by former Basie drummer and seven-time Grammy winner Gregg Field who obviously can’t resist sitting in on some tracks.
What makes it worthwhile for me is that it does seem to capture the sound and spirit of the Basie band with great ensemble and solos with that distinctive rhythm section with suitably sparse piano from both Ellis Marsalis and Llew Matthews and notable rhythm guitar from Will Matthews.
Detailed notes identify all the soloists and arrangers.
You can hear samples on Amazon’s website where they’ve also got several rather enthusiastic reviews.
Peter Bevan.
The Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart with very special guests Johnny Mathis, Ledisi, Ellis Marsalis, Llew Matthews, Carmen Bradford, Gregg Field and Plas Johnson.
The rhythm section: Ellis Marsalis piano, Marcus McClaurine bass, James Leary bass, Will Matthews guitar, Clayton Cameron drums.
Saxophones: Marshall McDonald alto and flute; Cleave E. Guyton Jr, alto, flute, piccolo; Doug Lawrence tenor, flute; Doug Miller tenor; Jay Brandford baritone.
Trumpets: Mike Williams lead; Bruce Harris. Endre Rice, Kris Johnson.
Trombones: David Keim lead, Clarence banks, Alvin S. Walker, Wendell Kelly

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