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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.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

CD/LP Review: Doc Bowling & his Blues Professors - Cosmopolitan Soul

(Review by Lance)

Regarded by many as London's top contemporary blues band which, some may argue, means the UK's number 1, Doc Bowling and his Professors do nothing to change that view with this vinyl offering (also available on CD and download).

This isn't one of those "Well I woke up this mornin' bands" although they obviously did. The material, however, is more in tune with today with the overall feel being an appeal for racial integration.

Cosmopolitan Soul: A funky pulse with JB Horns style brass and a blistering sax solo from Fox.

She Noh Nah: Fox blows again here. The feel is of early Manfred Mann and some paintstripping trumpet from Braun takes it out.

Black White and Blue: Another plea for equality from the Doc with some fancy feline fiddlin'.

MLK was a Trekkie: MLK - Martin Luther King - explores the universe on the Starship Enterprise...

Hitler's Favourite Cowboy:.. and if you thought the last title was bizarre... That old country favourite Ghost Riders in the Sky provides the melody for this one. To think Hitler's favourite author (Karl May) wrote westerns. Not only that - he was a pacifist!

Stop and Search Yourself: A counterblast to the overuse of police powers on top of the Elmore James riff appropriated by Fleetwood Mac.

The Loving Blues: A jaunty country blues that bounces along beneath the more serious and, ultimately law-changing story of a mixed race married couple in Virginia who were jailed for being married to each other. This was actually based around the true story of Richard and Mildred Loving whose case was heard by the US Supreme Court resulting in interracial marriage no longer being seen as a criminal act - even in Virginia.

Blue Mambo: A dancy, Latin 12 bar with solos from the horns of Johannes Sahmland Bowling and Laurent Dumoulin.

High Speed Train Blues: Paradoxically a mega slow lament based on  Leroy Carr's How Long Blues relocated to Kings Cross. Blues drenched Hammond B3 and wailing guitar remain faithful to the original but we, the listeners/travellers, are still waiting for HS2.

Laius' Lament: Not many blues deal with the Oedipus complex and those (if any!) that do aren't usually recited in BBC announcer's English. Strange? Yes, but the quasi Oxford accent only adds to its quirky appeal.

The Blue Waltz: Based on Leadbelly's Irene Goodnight it's also a personal expression of love by Doc B.
The final line says it all: So, while we still have breath, we just have to keep dancing.

A great band - let somebody put up the Thunderbird wine, a couple of  '57 pick-up trucks, a fistful of dollars and bring 'em north of the Johnson-Corbyn Line.
Lance

Doc Bowling (guitar, vocals, harmonica); Donnie Burke (lead/baritone/slide guitars, banjo, backing vocals); Simon Minney (bass, backing vocals); Roger Chapman (drums - 8 tracks -, percussion, backing vocals) + Graham Hadley (drums - 3 tracks); Louie Watson (percussion, backing vocals); Susi Sahmland (backing vocals); Sophie Loyer* (violin); Johannes Sahmland Bowling (alto/tenor sax - 4 tracks); Rainer Fox (alto/baritone sax - 2 tracks); Martin Sander, Frank Braun, Laurent Dumoulin (trumpet on various tracks); Jens Skwirblies (Hammond - 2 tracks); Eddie Kulak (piano - 3 tracks); Kenny Bruno (piano - 1 track); Melania Wicks (voiceover - 1 track).

* Aka Mlle Chat Noir

1 comment :

Patti said...

And who can resist a CD review like this! I've just ordered one - available from CDBaby!

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