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Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey: "You [Bobby Watson] don't want to play too long, because you don't know they're clapping because they're glad you finished!" - (JazzTimes, Nov. 2019)..

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

15867 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 874 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (Sept. 25).

From This Moment On ...

September

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.

Sat 30: John Pope Quintet + Late Girl + Shapeshifters @ Bobik's, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Sat 30: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

OCTOBER

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Tue 03: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Steve White (drums).

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

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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