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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.

Sunday, September 01, 2019

CD Review: Vasilis Xenopoulos - Dexterity

Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax); Ross Stanley (piano); Dario Di Lecce (bass); Steve Brown (drums) + Quentin Collins (trumpet on 3 tracks).
(Review by Lance).

It's good to see Dexter Gordon being recognised for the great musician he was and that today's musicians keep his music alive. It was only last week that Russell waxed eloquently about JazzMain's gig at Edinburgh's Jazz Bar where Nick Gould kept the flame burning brightly.

Now we have Greece's gift to jazz paying his tribute to Long Tall Dexter with an album that, although it's only Sept. 1, is a shoo-in for CD of the Month and probably the year! Vasi has totally captured the essence of Gordon's playing without any suggestion of plagiarism. This is no Joe Bloggs cloning Paul Quinichette cloning Lester Young. Rather, it's flattery without imitation which, contrary to the old adage, is the sincerest form of flattery.

The phrases just roll from the horn, every note counts - and there's no shortage of them - ballad or bouncer our man takes it all in his stride. If I were to attempt the impossible and pick out one track as being above the rest it might be Tadd Dameron's If You Could See Me Now, as luscious and languid as you'll ever hear. I deliberately said "might" as it could just as easily be Society Red from Dexter's Blue Note Album Doin' Alright. There's 8 tracks on the album which means I've got to type 'might' another 6 times!

Quentin Collins plays trumpet on 3 of the tracks which is no bad thing. Collins seems to be on every good album these days - not least his sextet release last month, Road Warrior - and he and Vasi hit it off like Dexter and Freddie Hubbard on the aforementioned Doin' Alright.

Behind every tenor player there's a rhythm section and these 3 are perfect. Stanley and Brown I've heard and been impressed by many times but I was unfamiliar with Di Lecce. Needless to say, if he's good enough for Vasi he's good enough for me.

The album is released today (Sept. 1) link and Vasilis Xenopoulos can be heard in the northeast on October 25/26/27 at Darlington, Crook and Blaydon respectively.
Lance

Dexterology; Tanya; Montmartre; Tivoli; Society Red; If You Could See me Now; Evergreenish; Antabus.

1 comment :

Patti said...

Just ordered mine - ultra quick, and easy peasy transaction, direct from Lance's link!

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