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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.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

CD Review: Wendy Kirkland - The Music's On Me

Wendy Kirkland (piano & voice); Pat Sprakes (guitar); Paul Jefferies (bass/bass guitar); Steve Wyndham (drums) + Roger Beaujolais  (vibes); Tommaso Starace (saxes)
(Review by Lance)

The much anticipated second
album from Kirkland has arrived and it doesn't disappoint! How could it? A voice to dream about, sparkling piano solos, a swinging band and a mix of originals, jazz standards and some not yet overdone gassers make this an album deserved of repeated playing.
Kirkland gives the words - whether they're her own or someone else's meaning and, when dispensing with words the singing is more than mere scatting it's another instrument to slot in over her piano playing.

Guitarist Sprakes combined with Kirkland on the originals as well as soloing effectively. Beaujolais peppers the album with a couple of tasty blasts and Starace is always handy to have around.

Sprakes and Kirkland's The Music's On Me and the standard Haven't We Met? set the standard and the standard is high.

Duke Pearson's Sandalia Dela, sung in Portuguese, and which, to my untutored ear, sounds quite authentic.

Russell Malone provided Playground, Wendy the words and Beaujolais the vibrant vibes. 

Nothing Like You from Bob Dorough and Fran Landesman. I felt this number was worthy of more than the 1:30 of its existence. Nevertheless, Wendy sped through the tune effectively in the time allotted and the intro with just voice and brushes rather special.

Michel Petrucciani's September Second featured Starace on alto and Jefferies on bass. Words once more by Wendy. 7:48 on this one.

West Coast Blues. The Wes Montgomery classic is best known for the lyric by Sascha Burland that was  popularised by Nancy Wilson and many other singers since. However, Wendy has elected to pen her own words although the tune remains the same. Difficult to listen to a song with different words to what you're used to - it takes time.

O Gato Molhado a Sprakes/Kirkland original. Portuguese/English lyric.

Sunday in New York. One of my all-time favourite songs sung delightfully with lyrical guitar and piano solos. Even if she never opened her mouth this girl would be a star. 

The appropriately titled original, Travelling Home brings the disc to a close but not before Starace has had his say on soprano sax.

I frequently comment on the number of women vocalists that appear almost overnight and, nine times out of ten they are excellent. Wendy Kirkland keeps the standard high with the bonus of her piano skills helping to keep her ahead of the pack.

Book her somebody - I don't want to have to go down to Cleethorpes (Sept.28) or any of these other faraway places.
Outstanding.
Lance.
CD now available (click here).
Album launch @ Pizza Express, Dean St., Soho on Saturday (July 27).

1 comment :

Alan Parker said...

I agree wholeheartedly with your review of this album. There is some very tasteful playing and Wendy's vocal acumen is outstanding in every aspect --including the Portuguese!
A really excellent album which I would thoroughly recommend and, as you say, it would be great if she came up this part of the country, although I have nothing against Cleethorpes or Chesterfield!

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