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Bebop Spoken There

Willie Jones lll: "I often wondered what it would be like to play with Clifford Brown or Lee Morgan. For me, Roy Hargrove was the closest thing to that." - (JazzTimes, November 2021)

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! --

Postage

14757 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 13 years ago. 1376 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (Nov. 29).

From This Moment On ...

December

Fri 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £22.00. Xmas lunch. Tel: 0191 691 7090.
Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Saltburn Community Theatre. 7:30pm..
Fri 03: King Bees @ The Hotspur, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Chicago blues.
Fri 03: Jack Logan & Sax Appeal @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. 'Rat Pack & Bublé'.

Sat 04: Play Jazz! Workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Clark Tracey. £25.00., book at: www.jazz.coop. .
Sat 04: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s, Hebron, nr. Morpeth. 7:30pm. Festive Special! SOLD OUT!.
Sat 04: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Greenside Community Centre, Ryton. 7:30pm. £5.00..
Sat 04: Clark Tracey Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.00. .
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon, North Tyneside. 8:00pm. £3.00. Xmas party.

Sun 05 Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon.
Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 05: Musicians Unlimited @ South Durham Social Club, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 05: Foundry Jazz Ensemble @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 05: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Stockton Globe. 3:00pm. Ray McVay & co.
Sun 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, North Tyneside. 7:00pm.
Sun 05: Knats @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 06: Jazz in the Afternoon @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 06: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ o/s The People’s Kitchen, Bath Lane, Newcastle 7:00-7:30pm.

Tue 07: Classic Swing @ The Ship Inn, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ All Saints Church Hall, Cleadon. 7:00pm.
Tue 07: Dilutey Juice @ Little Buildings, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Tue 07: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Dean Stockdale; Paul Grainger; Tim Johnston. NOTE EARLIER START!

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Club, Darlington. 8:00pm. Concert performance. Free admission.
Wed 08: Four @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00-9:30pm. In the bar.
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 08: Durham Uni Big Band + Durham Uni Jazz Soc Big Band @ Durham University Students' Union. 8:00pm.

Thu 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £22.00. Xmas lunch. Tel: 0191 691 7090.
Thu 09: Hot Club du Nord, Lubetkin Theatre, East Durham College, Peterlee. 7:00pm (doors). £10.00. + bf.
Thu 09: Tenderlonius + Knats @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00. (£10.00. inc food).
Thu 09: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 09: Maine Street Jazzmen @ Sunniside Social Club, Gateshead. 8:30pm.
Thu 09: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Saturday, June 03, 2017

CD Review: Allegra Levy - Cities Between Us

Allegra Levy (vocal/composer); Kirk Knuffke (cornet); Stephen Riley (tenor); Carmen Staaf (piano/arr); Jay Anderson (bass); Billy Drummond (drums).
(Review by Lance).
The second album by the young New York singer is in complete contrast to her first album which was distinctly a display of downhearted yearning. Well done, but one to file alongside Gloomy Sunday.
There's a much more upbeat feel to this one. Mainly originals, except for Yesterdays and a couple of post bop standards with lyrics by Levy.
The voice is compelling. I didn't want to just listen, I wanted to meet her and, if I'd have been 60 years younger, I'd have wanted to date her!
When I was 60 years younger I felt the same way about Peggy Lee and Jeri Southern!

This gives an idea where Allegra Levy is coming from and, it has to be said, she fully deserves to be bracketed with the aforementioned divas.
Allegra met her boyfriend in Hong Kong where she lived for awhile. Now she's in New York and he's still in Hong Kong - maybe even popping into Ned Kelly's for a snifter - which is the inspiration for the title track.
The lyrics are worthy of any contemporary writer I didn't like Dear Friend - loved the words but not the music. Still, have you ever bought an album where you loved every track equally?
Ironically, Dear Friend is Allegra's favourite so I guess I won't get a Christmas card from her!
The band is absolutely cracking. Levy quotes Chet Baker as an inspiration and Knuffke's cornet brings Chet to mind. Did Chet ever record on cornet? That would have been lyricism to die for! Still, Knuffke is one of the most beautiful sounding players I've heard in recent years. Riley's tenor adds to the ambience, Staaf's piano and arrangements are ace whilst Drummond and Anderson are natural swingers.
One of the most enjoyable vocal albums I've heard this year.
Cherry Blossom Song; Lullaby of the Orient (Duke Jordan); I Shouldn't Tell You; Misery Makes the Music; Yesterdays (Jerome Kern); Dear Friend; Sleepwalk with me; Soy Califa (Dexter Gordon); Down Sunday (John McNeil); Leaving Today; Cities Between Us. 
Lance.
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