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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 ...

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.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Saturday, November 12, 2016

CD Review: Brandi Disterheft - Blue Canvas


Brandi Disterheft (bs/cello/vcl); Harold Mabern (pno); Joe Farnsworth (dms).
(Review by Lance).
To my shame, I was unaware of Ms. Disterheft even though this is her fourth album  on Justin Time Records [get it?]. The vocalist/bassist/cellist has  been referred to as "handling her bass violin with as much visceral audacity as Mingus once did", whilst Oscar Peterson said of her, "She is what we call serious".
So, no lightweight.
However, the heavyweight here is Harold Mabern - the pianist has, probably, been on more gigs and albums than the other two combined - three times over.
Now 80 year old, he is still [quote] Tinkling the ivories with soulful panache. Tinkling them? He's making them so much a part of him he's likely to grow a trunk and become prey to a bounty hunter. We pray not. I don't know how many legendary jazz pianists are still around but, on this performance, they're all fighting for second place.
This is not to take anything away from Brandi, the jury may still be out re Mingus but she's a damn fine bassist and certainly sings better than Mingus.
In the liner notes, Brandi explores the Divine Madness, as philosophized by Plato, depicting how Gods and Goddesses would lead the artist into a state of ecstasy.
By this time, I'd made a paper airplane out of the notes, closed my eyes and enjoyed a superb trio album without any divine madness.
Dis Here (Hendricks/Timmons): The trio set their stall out and it's quality merchandise. Where has Mabern been hiding?
Prelude to the Crippling Thrill (Disterheft): Unaccompanied double bass - maybe Brandi does have some of Mingus' visceral audacity!
Crippling Thrill (Disterheft); The lady can sing!
Beehive (Mabern): Mabern's tune, previously recorded with Lee Morgan 46 years ago. provides  a workout for Farnsworth. The pair have gigged together for the past 25 years so, needless to say, they've got it right. 
Daahoud (C.Brown); Mabern treats the Clifford Brown classic as a ballad with touches of Teddy Wilson and Errol Garner thrown into the mix and Brandi plays a bass solo that didn't do any harm at all.
Blue Canvas (Disterheft): The second vocal. This lady could make it with, or without the bass, as a singer, composer and lyricist although I hope she sticks with all her options!
George's Dilemma (C.Brown): Another Brown classic and Farnsworth's let loose.
When the Mood is Right (Disterheft): A further string to her bow - in this case a cello string. I guess it will be viola next.
Our Delight (Dameron); Back to bass, weaving expertly around Dameron's great lines. As Oscar said, "Serious". Mabern also gets back into the game with a fine solo and some salty exchanges with Farnsworth.
Willow Weep For me (Ronell): Brandi gave the Ronnell (Gershwin?) tune a workout before Mabern trumped her (that phrase is now passé) with a fantastic solo that led into a fade-out ending.
Lance

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