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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.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

CD Review: Mark Sherman - My Other Voice.

Mark Sherman (piano); Vincent Herring(alto saxophone); Ray Drummond/Dan Chmielinski (bass); Nana Sakamoto (trombone); Carl Allen (drums).
(Review by James H)

Mark Sherman is best known as a percussionist and vibraphone player, having played vibes as a sideman to Peggy Lee and other big jazz names of the late 20th century, as well as classical percussion in orchestras conducted by Bernstein, Solti and the like.  He describes piano as “his other voice” hence the title of this new CD.  Piano may be Sherman’s other voice, but it is a bold and articulate voice in this eclectic collection of jazz standards, less well known tunes and his own compositions.   Mark teaches at The Juilliard School in New York and, on this album, he works with other established players on the New York scene as well as newcomers Nana Sakamoto on trombone and bassist Dan Chmielinski.

The album tends towards a hard bop feel, but also has its tender moments. The playing is tight and exciting, beginning with Sherman’s own composition Primative Reality, where Sherman’s piano has a driving McCoy Tyner-like quality, presaging confident solos by Herring and Sakamoto.  

Horace Silver’s Juicy Lucy follows, with a nice bluesy solo by Vincent Herring.  In John Lewis’ Milestones Sherman manages a Modern Jazz Quartet feel, and Nana Sakamoto’s excellent solo catches the spirit of the piece.  

Ale, a Mark Sherman tune, is hoppy and zesty with a nice head, just like good beer should be, helped down by interesting bass playing by Chmielinski.   The mood quietens down in Ev’rytime we Say Goodbye, the Cole Porter standard, in which the horns sit out and the trio (this time with Ray Drummond on bass) renders a tender ballad.  The driving feel returns with Cedar Walton’s Hindsight, and Sherman and Sakamoto’s solos keep the mood going.  

In Devotion’s Dance, another Sherman tune, we have an edgy, jerky waltz-like feel, with more talented bass playing by Chmielinski.   The disc finishes with The Cup Bearers, an old hard bop tune from the 1960s, with spirited solos from Herring and Sakamoto.

My Other Voice is an exciting and well crafted album, with tight ensemble playing and some inspired solo playing.   Of particular note is Nana Sakamoto’s fine, accurate trombone playing.  Sakamoto, only 24 years of age and recently arrived from Japan, is a newcomer to the New York scene and has a promising career ahead of her.

This CD grew on me over a few listenings.  It is an intelligent and well put together disc, which pays homage to hard bop and takes it to new places.  Piano may be Mark Sherman’s other voice, but it is a confident voice, which doesn’t disappoint.   
James H

Available on Miles High Records via usual suspects.

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