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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

CD Review: Deborah Shulman - The Shakespeare Project

Debrah Shulman (vocals); Jeff Colella (piano); Larry Koonse (guitar); Abraham Laboriel/Chris Colangelo (bass); Bob Sheppard (reeds); Bob McChesney (trombone); Kendall Kay/ Joe LaBarbera (drums).
(Review by Lance)

Shakespeare has long provided inspiration for jazz musicians and filmmakers. The latter, in the film All Night Long, incorporated the saga of Othello in a modern setting incorporating Tubby Hayes, Dave Brubeck, Mingus and other jazz luminaries of the 1960s. In retrospect, Mingus would have been the perfect Othello. As it was, the music proved better than the film!


Ellington's Such Sweet Thunder will probably go down as the definitive jazz/bard mix and deservedly so. It's a gem and deserves its high ranking in the Ellington canon.

However, let's not forget that Shakespeare was a wordsmith and not a musician although he may have been capable of knocking up a tune on a virginal.

And it's the lyrics of his songs which are featured here just as they have done in the past.

Marian Mann, with settings by Arthur Young, recorded four of Shakey's songs with the Crosby Bobcats back in 1939 a couple of which are reprised here. In the early fifties, Cleo Laine recorded the same with the Dankworth Seven and, in 1964 Cleo, now Mrs Dankworth, recorded Shakespeare and All that Jazz - an album that is regarded by many as the ultimate take on what is, in my opinion, the combination of the world's greatest artforms - literature, theatre and jazz.

With such hard acts to follow, Deborah Shulman has taken a brave step and, in many ways, she succeeds. Just as Marian Mann set the ball rolling for Cleo to pick up and, via Duke's input, to run with, so Shulman has, at least, kept the ball in play.

I've compared the two albums again and again. Cleo's has the edge on the swingier numbers whilst Deborah will score with those who sometimes find Cleo's deep vibrato not to their liking although Deborah's ofttimes overdramatic approach, whilst in keeping with the material, can also jar but not enough to deny that this is such stuff as dreams are made on - The Tempest

Personally, I wouldn't be without either and this one also has some great solos!
Lance.

Summit Records DCD 793 - Feb. 22.
All the Worlds a Stage/If Music be the Food of Love; Blow Blow thou Winter Wind; Dunsinane Blues; Shall I Compare thee to a Summer's Day?; Who is Sylvia?; You Spotted Snakes; When to the Sessions of Sweet Silent thought; Sigh no more Ladies; Oh Mistress Mine; My Love is as a Fever; Our Revels now Are Ended.

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