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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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

17346 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 630 of them this year alone and, so far, 35 this month (Sept. 11).

From This Moment On ...

September

Thu 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 12: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:30pm. £4.00. ‘A Great Day in Harlem’.
Thu 12: The Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Pete Tanton & co.
Thu 12: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. THC with guests Donna Hewitt, Bill Watson, Dave Archbold, Adrian Beadnell, Mark Hawkins.

Fri 13: Jeff Barnhart & Neville Dickie @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Two pianos, two pianists! SOLD OUT!
Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Dilutey Juice @ Old Coal Yard, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.00. adv..
Fri 13: Ray Stubbs R & B All-stars @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. Classic blues.

Sat 14: Jeff Barnhart’s Silent Film Fest @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 14: Customs House Big Band w. Ruth Lambert @ St Paul’s Centre, St Paul’s Gardens, Spennymoor DL16 7LR. 7:00pm (6:45pm doors). Tickets £10.00. from the venue or tel: 01388 813404. A ‘BYOB’ event.
Sat 14: Emma Wilson @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. £12.00. Acoustic blues.
Sat 14: Rat Pack - Swingin’ at the Sands @ Billingham Forum. 7:30pm.

Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Jude Murphy, Steve Chambers & Sid White @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Panharmonia @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Swing Manouche @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: John Hallam with the James Birkett Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00. A Blaydon Jazz Club 40th anniversary concert!

Tue 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £13.00. Tel: 0191 237 3697. ‘Indian Summer Afternoon Tea’.
Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 18: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session.

Saturday, August 10, 2019

CD Review: Lauren Henderson - Alma Oscura

(Review by Ann Alex)

A CD of original songs that turned out to be a sheer joy to listen to! Songs with hooks both lyrical and musical, even on the three tracks which were in Spanish, which I cannot speak! I'm so enthusiastic that I'll begin with a rundown of the tracks, which were very Latin influenced, yet jazzy as well, sung in a pleasing, soft, smoky voice.

From The Inside Out (Sidran and Alex Cuba): A sensual song with a Latin beat, about the connections between lovers,  sung in both Spanish and English by Henderson and Sidran, with strings added to the mix to enhance the romance.

Something Bigger (Thurber): Interesting lyrics about things being bigger than the sum of their parts, such as the human body and the various parts of nature.

Alma Oscura (Henderson, Thurber) means 'dark soul', about someone trying to find her own lost heart, sung in Spanish. This may sound obscure but it works well musically, a slow song. The CD cover illustrates this well, a very dark cover on which you can only just make out the figures.

El Arbol (Henderson): 'The Tree', in Spanish, is about an interracial couple who are lynched because of their love. Very expressive, low, dramatic piano chords played to fast percussion beats illustrate this.

Ven Muerte (Thurber): 'Come Death' was written for a production of Shakespeare's Macbeth. A tango rhythm is used and a clarinet solo adds to the drama.

Where Are You Now? (Thurber):  About a man whose actions have caused him to be alone. A haunting ballad with low pitched strings accompanied by a steady harp riff. Lyrics say 'you bit the apple, you lost your soul'.

Protocol (Henderson): A love affair that is crumbling, a tango rhythm.

Dream (Henderson): A surprise, unlisted, track about a love which is surviving only in a dream. A touching song done with voice and piano only.

It may all sound rather sombre and earnest, but take my word - it works.

This is Ms Henderson's sixth CD since 2011 and she is based in New York where she performs regularly as well as in Miami, Europe and South Africa. A student of music, Hispanic culture, jazz and flamenco, with a truly multicultural background - her mother has roots in Panama and Montserrat and her father has Caribbean connections.
Ann Alex

Released on June 28 by Brontosaurus Records.

Lauren Henderson (vocals); Michael Thurber (bass, producer); Sullivan Fortner, Damian Sim (piano); Gabe Schneider (guitar); Mark Dover (clarinet); Emi Ferguson (flute); Jon Lampley (trumpet); Allan Mednard, Joe Saylor (drums); Moses Patrou (perc); Tessa Lark (violin solo); Lavinia Pavlish, Brendan Speltz (violins); Charles Overton (harp); Rose Hashimoto (viola); Tara Hanish (cello); Leo Sidran (guest vocals).

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