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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise April 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

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 21: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass guitar); Bailey Rudd (drums).

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller's Rest, Cockerton. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public). Note change of venue - this week only.
Wed 22: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Thu 23: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Bar Loco, Newcasatle. From 6:30pm 'til late. Free. Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra jam session. All welcome (students & non-students).
Thu 23: Kerrin Tatman + John Garner & John Pope @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 23: Sunna Gunnlaugs & Julia Hülsmann @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm. A two-piano gig. A Sage Gateshead-JNE promotion.
Thu 23: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano.
Thu 23: Sleep Suppressor @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00., £8.00. adv. Upstairs.
Thu 23: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Friday, December 04, 2015

Roly Veitch was right!

(By Dave Brownlow)
Responding to your recent re-blog of Roly Veitch’s conclusion that “the bass player is the most important member of the band” as a one-time bassist myself I can wholeheartedly agree! Roly’s comment set me thinking about some of the “greats” in jazz history and their bassists.
Tommy Potter was Charlie Parker’s first-choice bass player from 1947 – 51 for good reason. He had a light, bouncy, rhythmic tone - perfect for the Bebop Quintet Bird was developing then. Tommy’s sure-footed choice of notes helps listeners to know exactly ‘where you are’ in the chord sequence which must have given Charlie great confidence to launch into his Bird-Flights-Of-Fancy.
Ray Brown was a stalwart of Oscar Peterson’s Duos and Trios from 1949 – 1966 which provided a musical association of great benefit to both men. Ray had a formidable attack, a huge, rounded, sustained sound emanating from the centre or lower reaches of the bass soaring up into the cello registers in solos. His ‘time’ was rock solid – it needed to be to hold together Oscar’s at times break-neck playing within the group!
The great Bill Evans chose his bassists with care because he was looking for a musician who could be an “equal” in his conception of the piano trio in jazz. At the forefront was Scott La Faro whose association with Bill was tragically short. Scott’s sound was huge throughout all the bass range, his drive powerful and he took technique up to a new level. With the drummer, he was able to challenge the leader, and raise the tension in pieces, building up to resolution in dramatic ways.
Miles Davis’ long-time bass player was Paul Chambers who worked with the trumpeter through several of his career phases – namely The Quintets, The Gil Evans Projects and The Kind Of Blue Sextet. Paul’s playing was light toned, ‘springy’ and swinging and his note choice was more unusual because his bass-lines did not contain so many ‘root’ notes. As a result, the bass part was more free-flowing which made Paul one of the first players who could play competently within Miles’ idea of  using tunes based on modes, scales or one or two chords (i.e. So What).
Finally in this brief review of some of the “greats” and their bassists is Gary Peacock within the “Standards Trio” of Keith Jarrett. Gary had (and has) the most extravagant technical ability on the bass moving from strong ‘root’ notes into cello-like sorties into the upper reaches of harmony and indeed harmonics, taking risks even when just accompanying ! This constantly imaginative playing undoubtedly spurred on Jarrett to reach his more outrageous moments.
I believe these few examples from the history of jazz fully support Roly’s wise assertion!
Dave Brownlow

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