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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.

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

CD Review: Flavio Lira - Coffee Gold Sugar Cane

(Review by Max G)

Hailing from Brazil, Flavio Lira is based in New York City, active in a wide variety of genres and musical forms. This policy is present throughout the album which Lira refers to as ‘a rhythmic fusion of samba, baiao, regional folklore, tumbao, clave, Partido Alto, jazz influence from the north, classical fugue, and more.’

This sounds like an ambitious mix, and perhaps an album which brings together 38 different musicians from 15 different countries might struggle to maintain a clear identity if each of their musical personalities is simultaneously foregrounded. However, the album’s identity retains a central core of, in the broadest terms, Latin influence.


The album is also defined by Lira’s dense arrangements, featuring a mass of different instruments and timbres. For example, on the album’s second track, his highly original and complex arrangement of All the Things You Are. However, in this track, the constant chopping and changing of sounds, feels, and his intense melodic interplay and elaborations at times become overwhelming. The same could also be said of Sol no Frio

Whilst Lira’s ambition, which leads him to attempt the broad synthesis of styles and musical backgrounds he describes, should undoubtedly be applauded, perhaps that ambition should be reined in slightly.

Despite these criticisms, the album does definitely have some nice moments. 5 to 9 grooves really naturally, with a great vibes solo from Ryan Fedak. I personally am often suspicious of attempts to cross the classical-jazz divide. However, the album’s concluding Bass Fugue is executed with originality and showcases Lira’s excellent bass playing – something which perhaps could be more prominent through the album as a whole.

Overall, this is a fun, thoroughly enjoyable album. But just perhaps not quite a classic.
Max G.

Coffee Gold Sugar Cane is available on Interrobang Records.

Flavio Lira (bass); Ryan Fedak (vibraphone); Anibal Cruz (piano); Takafumi Nikaido (congas, cajon); Graciliano Zambonin (drums); Kan Yanabe (pandiero, tamborim, clave); Edmar Colon (alto sax, bari sax); Gaciliano Zambonin (drums);  Nella Rojas (vocals); Yoshie Nakayama (trombone); Jon Weidley (trumpet); Juan Ruiz (alto sax); Anggie Obin (flute); Nacho Gonzaled (guitar); Julio Santos (pandeiro); Martin Musaubach (Rhodes, organ); Yaure Muniz (trumpet); Xito Lovell (trombone); Howard Levy (harmonica); Kevin Scollins (guitar); Eduardo Mercuri (guitar); Naty Hernandez (vocals); Valentine Komissarouk (vocals); Vitor Goncalvez (e-piano); Livio Almeida (soprano sax); Laura Crespo (bongo, guiro); Thiago Vitori (synths, pads); Clay Steininger (guitar); Alexi Tsiganov (piano); Raphael Lehnen (bombo leguero); Catherine Bent (cello); Leandro Pellengrino (guitar); Fernando Brandao (flute); Keisel Jiminez (tishbales, congas, vocals); Ronaldo Andrade (surdo, cavaco, banjo, vocals); Bruno Brandalise (trombone).

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