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Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey: "You [Bobby Watson] don't want to play too long, because you don't know they're clapping because they're glad you finished!" - (JazzTimes, Nov. 2019)..

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!"

Postage

15848 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 855 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Sept. 18).

From This Moment On ...

September

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 7:00pm.

Tue 26: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Alice Grace Quartet @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 28: Faye MacCalman + Snape/Sankey @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 28: Zoe Rahman @ Jesmond United Reformed Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 28: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.
Thu 28: Speakeasy @ Queen's Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. £15.00. A Southpaw Dance Company presentation. Dance, audio-visuals, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, swing dancers etc.
Thu 28: Mick Cantwell Band @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Ace blues band.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.

Sat 30: John Pope Quintet + Late Girl + Shapeshifters @ Bobik's, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Sat 30: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

OCTOBER

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

CD Review: The Darius Brubeck Quartet – Live in Poland


Darius Brubeck (piano); Dave O’Higgins (tenor sax); Matt Ridley (bass); Wesley Gibbens (drums).
(Review by Lance).

Darius Brubeck dispensed with his siblings some twelve years ago, hooking up with Ridley and Gibbens. A move that some might see as the equivalent of Brubeck père bringing in Gene Wright and Joe Morello. Tenor man Dave O’Higgins remains on the team which is a wise move – which alto player could replace Paul Desmond?

Apart from a couple of dad’s breadwinners – In Your Own Sweet Way, Desmond’s Take Five and Hugh Masekela’s Nomali – the remaining tracks on this delightful album are  all composed by Darius. Of course the influence of Papa Dave seeps into Darius’ playing but it is only a slight infusion. It would be abnormal if some of his old man’s greatness didn’t rub off.


Brubeck senior’s music moved in directions none of his contemporaries envisaged back then, Darius operates in the less sophisticated but earthier jazz scene of today whilst still digging out his own way forward. In O’Higgins he has the man to aid and abet. Desmond wouldn’t have taken this path, probably wouldn’t want to, O’Higgins incorporates some of the late alto saxist’s lyricism whilst adding his own melodic charm on tenor. A charm that, at times, dispenses with the melodic and the lyrical in favour of a muscular virile sound which, nevertheless, only serves to make it all the more appealing.

Take Five runs for ten minutes and, apart from the underlying rhythm, makes no attempt to clone the original - apart from the Morello style drum solo which the fans would expect on such an iconic tune. O’Higgins blows up a storm and reminds us of just how strong the UK is when it comes to tenor players – if our politicians blew Mark 6’s instead of hot air then maybe Poland and other European countries would give them the applause the audience in the Blue Note Club in Poznan gave to this superb band.
Lance
Album released on Friday Dec. 13 with launch at the London Jazz Caf on Dec.14.
Ubuntu music – UBU0033.

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