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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

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.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

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.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Friday, August 09, 2019

CD Review: Jelena Jovovic - Heartbeat

(Review by Ann Alex)

Jelena Jovovic comes from Serbia and has studied at universities in Belgrade and Austria. A vocal clinician and lecturer who has sung with Mark Murphy and Sheila Jordan, as well as appearing at festivals and touring with her own quintet. Heartbeat, her first album as leader, comprises six original songs and four tracks of existing tunes to which Ms Jovovic has written lyrics.

Reviewers are always aware of the problem of listening to original songs as they often deserve two or three hearings for adequate assessment, but life and time is short, so initially just a few of the ten tracks stood out. The musicianship and singing was no problem, instrumentalists well up to the mark and Ms Jovovic has a pleasing though not exceptional voice. Witch Hunt (Wayne Shorter) is an adventurous arrangement, beginning with voices chanting to a bass riff, then along comes the Rhodes, lots of jazz-like chanting, sax solo, all ending with witches crying out.

The Countless Stars interested me as I like World Music, and this included Eastern European throat music, a very deep male voice doing a rumbling chant, a jazz tune with brass and drums, and a song about stars. Little Freddie Steps (tune by Claus Raible) was an entertaining song about drumming to free the planet; the CD ended well with Pools (Tune by Don Grolnick) a song about the meeting of river and ocean, with staccato stops and starts and a basic Latin rhythm, lots of music from the vibes, and ending with the sound of flowing water.

Other tracks were entitled Paladin; Heartbeat; Bubu's Song; Sweet Music; Time Is Here; Mad In Heaven. Not sure what to say about these tracks, definitely jazz but I was longing for 'hooks' to get a better grip on the music and lyrics. Perhaps it's simply a different style of jazz and lyrics,

Heartbeat was released on June 7 and is available from the usual sources.
Ann Alex

Jelena Jovovic (vocals); Vasil Hadzimanov (piano, Rhodes); Milan Nikolic (bass); Vladimir Kostadinovic (drums); Rastko Obradovic (tenor sax); Strahinja Banovic (trumpet, 3 tracks) also on various tracks: Milos Branisavljevic (vibes); Branco Trijic (guitar); Dusan Novakov (drums); Stjepko Gut (trumpet); Milos Nikolic (trumpet/trombone); Tom Fedja Franklin, Bojan Ivkovic (perc); Srdjan Markovic, Ivana Vukmirovic, Llija Mihailovic (backing vocals); Oleg Kireyev (Tatar throat singing)

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