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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 23: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 4:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Mon 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Monday, March 11, 2019

CD Review: Cathy Segal-Garcia - Dreamsville

Cathy Segal-Garcia (vocals); Larry Koonse (guitar); Josh Nelson (piano)
(Review by Ann Alex)

The twelfth CD from Cathy Segal-Garcia, singer, songwriter, teacher, and linchpin on the Los Angeles jazz scene, sees her working with A-list musicians, Larry Koonse, a first-call guitarist who has recorded 5 CD’s as a leader plus many others as a sideman, and pianist Josh Nelson, who has 6 albums to his credit and who has also created a multi-media show that involves music, art and visuals.

Dreamsville comprises 8 standards, 2 songs written by Ms Segal-Garcia, and also a piece from the classical repertoire, Scarlatti’s Sonata in B Minor L33, which was originally written for harpsichord. The three musicians worked out all the arrangements together during rehearsals, with the rich alto voice floating over a lush piano and guitar accompaniment.

This was mostly an enjoyable listening experience, with a dreamy feel as suggested by the title, and lots of slow songs though I was longing to hear an honest to goodness swing number. Perhaps they could have included a swinger with ‘dreamy’ words, such as No Moon At All?  The Scarlatti piece didn’t quite work for me. The guitar and piano were excellent, as on all the tracks, but the voice somehow lacked that mysterious spark on this one. I think that generally jazz and classical fusions rarely work. This fusion may have sounded better with just piano and guitar.

These reservations apart, the rest was fine. I especially liked the opening track, Henry Mancini’s Dreamsville, lots of space for an instrumental duet, and the voice playing with the word ‘dreamsville’ up to the fade-out ending. The Three of Us is a heartfelt original song about the fact that the singer’s twin sisters had both died. The three of them used to sing in a trio.

September in the Rain is a superb arrangement, rain and falling leaves portrayed in music and tapping on wood, then leaves chasing around, and the voice does pleasing variations of the tune. Pensativa is normally a bossa, but here it is done as an interesting jazz waltz. Beyond the Years is a haunting original song about finding love after many years and the CD concludes with Sometime Ago/Children’s Song, with wordless vocals and hints of free jazz.

Other tracks are: Canto Triste, Lonely Woman, Zingaro, and You Are There.

The CD is available from March 15, on Dash Hoffman Records DHR 1023, in stores and online at CDbaby.com.

Ann Alex (Our woman in South Shields!)

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