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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.

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

CD Review: The Mark Zaleski Band - Days, Months, Years.

Mark Zaleski alto & soprano saxes, bass. Jon Bean tenor sax. Glenn Zaleski piano & Wurlizer. Mark Cocheo guitar Oscar Suchanek drums. Danny Weller bass (track 6).
(Review by Dave Brownlow.)
This CD release showcases the talents of a group of six musicians who’ve worked together for eleven years without major changes in personnel – a rare situation in the world of jazz today. The second unusual fact about the CD is that the leader plays both saxophone and double bass (NOT at the same time of course!) through the wonders of modern technology – over-dubbing. Mark Zalesky plays alto or soprano sax on all tracks, AND bass on five tracks while regular bassist on “live” gigs Danny Weller, appears on one track. What started about eight years ago - tinkering with a bass as a hobby – has resulted into a situation where Mark Zaleski is accomplished on all three of his instruments and gets calls for gigs with many of the U.S. big names either on bass or sax. As an Educator, Mark has also taught at three Colleges and is also a fine arranger and composer.
Mark In The Park is an original by Mark which has something of the sound of the “Blue Note” label hard-bop feel to it. A well planned theme statement soon gives way to the altoist’s strong solo over his own firm bass lines. An interesting segment follows with drums to the fore over a hypnotic piano/bass sub-theme leading to a final flourish .Cerina also an original, begins with alto and tenor saxes in an unaccompanied improvisation leading to a ‘Latin’ tinged ensemble passage and a powerful, somewhat frantic guitar solo. A tenor solo follows which slowly builds atmospherically (nice to hear someone not totally in thrall to Coltrane!) and a short reprise of the theme.
The title track Days, Months, Years includes cleverly-arranged segments from the piano, a vigorous tenor sax then bass, leading to a quiet conclusion. The leader always uses his resources well with details and sound musicianship. Monk’s Epistrophy follows in a brand-new arrangement where Mark completely re-thinks the great jazz standard. A ‘stormy’ guitar solo over Wurlitzer keyboard backing leads to a surprisingly abrupt ending.
Katie’s Song (written as a dedication to a child-hood friend killed far too young in a car accident) has the leader on soprano in a performance which begins in ballad tempo then moves into a section where the sax wails expressively and excitingly over a rocking, funky backbeat. Katie must have been quite somebody ….! 
Finally, Charlie Parker’s Big Foot is played at half the tempo of the original, giving it a surreal quality to anyone who knows Bird’s recording on ‘Dial’. This track features regular bassist Danny Weller who delivers a virtuoso solo leading to a coruscating, bluesy outing from the leader well away in style from Charlie’s own conception.
Overall, a thoughtful album from a very capable group with nods to the past and the future.
CD available now from www.markzaleskimusic.com
Dave.

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