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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Sunday, July 09, 2017

CD Review: Tara Minton - The Tides Of Love

(Review by Ann Alex)
This is a collection of 10 original songs by Australian Ms Minton, featuring jazz played on the harp (as in Wales, not as in harmonica) and I was amazed by what a great jazz instrument this harp turned out to be. A whole new perspective on instrumentation! Ms Minton says [the CD] ‘is a musical memoir of my London journey, both as a musician and as a person.’ The songs celebrate the city of London, tell of the low and high points of various relationships, and the final song rejoices in love fulfilled with the husband she met at a gig in London. Not all the songs are jazz-like as there are elements of folk and soul too, with lots of space for improvisation. A very enjoyable CD, with good lyrics and plenty of hooks for the listener to latch on to.
The Tides Of Love has the harp flowing like water, an anthem-like song, sweet-voiced, with the strings adding to the atmosphere. Play With Me is indeed playful, a Latin beat, appropriate percussion, a romantic request for fun. It’s the first time I’ve heard Latin jazz on the harp.
Then comes the most  jazzy track, could be a jazz standard, Smitten, a swinger with horns and lyrics:
‘I feel giddy and weak, Like I’ve been bitten, I’m smitten, smitten baby with you.’

February Forever changes the mood to the sadness of lost love, Hammond organ and a skilled violin solo, and what I’d call an impassioned ‘X Factor’ (as on television)  type climax, which however manages to sound better than most of those on that television programme. Clementines in the Morning Sun is a tribute to the sights of London, river cruises and speedy bike rides, with a flowing harp to portray the river. O Brother Mine is a bit of a puzzle, a quite bitter song about someone who is disliked, but interesting music. I loved the blues of You’ll Never Kill a Good Woman, a spirited song of survival, a bluesy harp and a hard sounding violin. Rock ‘n’ Roll Romance is just that, a rock song about a romance that was temporary but fun, all swashbuckling drums and full pelt ensemble playing. The last 2 tracks are both about love fulfilled, ‘you are my Tower of London’ says our singer; a lyrical harp on the final track and even laughter from Ms Minton. A happy CD, definitely.  

The CD is released on Friday,  July 14 on Discovery Records.  There is an official release do at the 606 Club, London on July 13. See www.taraminton.com
Ann Alex
Tara Minton (harp, vocals); Ed Babar (bass); Tom Early (drums); and on various tracks: Duncan Menzies (violin); Phil Merriman (Hammond organ); Filippo Dall’Asta (Guitar); Lilia Loncheva (perc); Tim Boniface (horns, keys) + string quartet: Barbara Zdziarska, Alex Isted (violins); Lisa Bucknell (viola); Davina Shum (cello).

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