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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

Sun 22: Hot Club du Nord @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £15.00. + bf. Xmas party. SOLD OUT!
Sun 22: Red Kites Jazz @ Gibside Chapel, nr. Rowlands Gill. 1:00pm. Admission charge applies.
Sun 22: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 22: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Revolutionaires @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb rhythm & blues outfit.
Sun 22: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger & Mark Robertson @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Line-up TBC.
Sun 22: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music (musicians TBC).
Sun 22: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Zerox, Sandhill, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).

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: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. TBC.
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.

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

Sunday, April 09, 2017

CD Review: Tomasz Stańko New York Quartet – December Avenue

Tomasz Stańko (trumpet); Davide Virelles (piano); Reuben Rogers (double bass); Gerald Cleaver (drums).
(Review by Hugh C.)
A decade ago Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stańko took an apartment in the city he considers the jazz capital of the world, New York, the stomping ground of all his early musical heroes.  Once resident it was not long before he was playing with some of the most gifted and creative players on the scene.  The first tangible record of this was the New York Quartet's first, much acclaimed release Wislawa.
Stańko's work is recognisable by the grainy tone and smeared notes, the lyrical and soulful themes characteristic of the noirish atmospheres they conjure.  He is generous with his compositions in allowing fellow band members time and space to express themselves.  December Avenue, the Quartet's second release, was recorded at studios in the south of France, with bass player Reuben Rogers (originally from the Virgin Islands) joining the band and forming a deep understanding with Cuban born pianist David Virelles and Detroit drummer Gerald Cleaver.
December Avenue, released as a CD with a generous 64 minutes of music is a treat.  There are twelve tracks in all:  Cloud – Conclusion – Blue Cloud – Bright Moon – Burning Hot – David and Reuben – Ballad for Bruno Shulz – Sound Space – December Avenue – The Street of Crocodiles – Yankiels Lid – Young Girl in Flower.  Each is classic Stańko, with extensive solo or tutti passages by the other band members interspersed or interrupted respectively by lyrical trumpet or stabbing interjections by Stańko.  As alluded to in my previous review (Tomasz Stańko Quartet, GIJF 2017) much is recognisable and familiar as the work of Stańko, despite my having heard the CD only once before.  That having been said, if Stańko is what you like, you will like this!
The promotional material received by Lance and passed on to me with the CD on GIJF 2017, day 1 at the Sage 1, level 1 bar proclaims that “Stańko begins a European tour at the end of March, playing the music of December Avenue” with dates in various mainland European cities and including Gateshead, United Kingdom.  As indicated in my review of that event, I cannot attest to the veracity of this statement due to the lack of an indication of what they were playing or about to play.  All I can say is Stańko fans loved the gig and will also love this.
Hugh C.
December Avenue is now released and available for purchase on ECM - CD No. 6025 5726302 2

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