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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.

Friday, June 07, 2019

CD Review: Coniece Washington - Shades Of Shirley Horn


Coniece Washington (vocals); Vince Evans (piano, musical direction, engineer); Wes Biles (bass); JC Jefferson Jr. (drums); Kevin Kojo Prince (percussion); Thad Wilson (trumpet); Carl Carrington (flute); David P Cole (guitar); Seth Washington (poet).
(Review by Ann Alex)

A fine singer from Trenton NJ, whose vocal life began singing in her grandmother's church. She then joined the US army but continued performing in venues in the States and Europe. She is a trained vocalist who now performs all over Washington DC, Writes songs and produces. In 2018 Ms Washington was awarded the Montgomery County Employee's Black History Show contract.
 Her second CD comprises mainly Gasbook material, some of it unfamiliar, at least to me. The music is a tribute to the singing of Shirley Horn (1934-2005). But, dare I say it? after listening to some Shirley Horn, I decided in my wisdom that Ms Washington's voice lost nothing by comparision, though Ms Horn's was skilled too. I found our singer's tone appealing, slightly and pleasantly nasal, with what I can only describe as a 'cute' tone. (Think pop singer Cindy Lauper). I also decided to mention more about the instrumentalists in this review, as I believe that they deserve more attention than I usually give them by merely saying that they are 'competent'. To that end, track by track.

1/ Here's to Life:  This begins surprisingly with a poem explaining the CD, recited to flowing piano, and voice over keys, bass, brushes and cymbals 'I had my share, I drank my fill', a song with optimistic words sung slowly.

2/ Get Out Of Town: A skilled keys solo enlivens this amusing Cole Porter song, with the immortal lyrics 'Why wish me harm, why not retire to a farm?’

3/ The Island: A Latin number with a rippling piano, concerning a desert island love fantasy, with tapping drums, (or percussion?)

4/ How Am I To Know? Another Latin, with wooden sounding percussion, probably clave blocks, and the voice intimate. I think the technical term for this is voice 'well forward in the mix'.

5/ Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying:  A much better version than the pop song. A blues with a muted trumpet making the 'crying' sounds.
6/ Our Love Is Here To Stay: With a keys solo, as on most of the tracks.

7/ Fever: A favourite track of mine, with a low tune on the keys, and sung seductively.

8/ If You Go: A slow heartfelt ballad, using the intimate voice again.

9/ Dindi: This has to be a Latin of course, with the intimate voice and lots of good percussion on clave, congas and bongos.

10/ Once I Loved: A Latin beat with flute remarks between the vocal lines and the pleasant change of a guitar solo.

11/ A Time For Love: Our singer gives us lots of imaginative flower images, and the band does well, especially the drummer with his rhythmic brushes.

12/ I Just Found Out About Love  A great way to end the album, a fast swing with clever lyrics 'Hey look, give me a clue, What's love doin' to you?

The CD is available from www.coniecewashington.com.
Ann Alex

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