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Bebop Spoken There

Billy Boy Arnold: “As long as you don't think old you're good.” - DownBeat, December, 2023.

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...

Postage

16034 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1041 of them this year alone and, so far, 73 this month (Nov. 27).

From This Moment On ...

December

Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:30pm. £7.50.
Sun 03: The Central Bar Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. The Central Bar Quartet plays Lou Donaldson’s Gravy Train. Featuring Jamie Toms.
Sun 03: Revolutionaires @ The Water House, North Road, Durham. 4:00pm. Rock 'n' roll excellence! Line-up inc. Pete Tanton.
Sun 03: Paul Skerritt @ Smith’s Arms, Carlton, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:00pm.
Sun 03: Johnny Hunter Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 03: Jam session @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.

Mon 04: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 04: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ People’s Kitchen, Bath Lane, Newcastle. From 5:30pm. On-street gig supporting the work of the People’s Kitchen charity. Wrap up warm! Donate!
Mon 04: Michael Young Trio w Lindsay Hannon @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: James Birkett Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Mon 04: Durham University Jazz Orchestra + Durham University Big Band @ Durham Castle DH1 3RW. 8:30pm. £6.00.; £5.00. concs; £4.00. DSM. ‘Jazzy Christmas’.

Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ All Saints Church, Cleadon. 7:00pm. Concert in the church hall. BYOB.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Sid White. The best free show in town!

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 8:00pm. Free. Note later start time, concert performance (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay, Newcastle. 12 noon - 4:00pm. £26.00 (inc 3-course meal in in St Mary's Lighthouse Suite). SOLD OUT!
Thu 07: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 07: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.Donations. Feat. Mark Sanders. CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00. Downstairs.
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Woodland Village Hall, Bishop Auckland. 7:00pm. £12.00.
Fri 08: Sleep Suppressor + Redwell @ Head of Steam, Neville St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv); £5.00. student.
Fri 08: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert's Church, Shadforth, Co. Durham.
Fri 08: Têtes de Pois + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £8.00.

Sat 09: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 09: Abbie Finn Trio @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm.
Sat 09: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Middleton & Todridge Village Hall, Morpeth. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sat 09: Paul Skerritt @ Slaley Hall, Hexham NE47 0BX. 7:30pm. From £42.00.

Sunday, March 22, 2020

CD Review: David Berger & The Sultans of Swing - Marlowe

(Review by Frank Griffith)

As one will notice at the foot of the page, Marlowe was released  in 2004 and is dedicated to continuing the legacy of Ellington's and Strayhorn's music.  A New York City based big band, The Sultans of Swing is led by composer/arranger, David Berger and this album consists of two suites, Windows on the World and  Marlowe, both of which demonstrate  Ellingtonian touches without being imitative in any way.  Berger's hues and colours are exemplified in his imaginative  voicings for the top flight reed section (including clarinets) as well as plunger mutes for the brass. His painterly use of melodic backings for solos (without getting in the way) are another one of the key influences of Duke and Billy.

Berger's pedigree is outstanding, having worked  with everyone from Mercer Ellington, Gunther Shuller, Thad Jones and Stan Getz to Wynton Marsalis. He was also the  first  musical director for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra from 1988 to 1994 having adapted or transcribed Ellington related works for them as well. The Sultans also presented Duke's Black, Brown  and Beige at the Moscow Conservatory on January 23, 2004, sixty one years after the piece's premiere at Carnegie Hall.

Windows on the World is (according to Berger) "about the World Trade Center disaster and the aftermath. When I wrote it, I had hoped that this terrible catastrophe would send  a message to the western world. Unfortunately, the message has  not been received, but  I still have hope."

Alto saxist, Jerry Dodgion's showcase on this piece pays a heartfelt tribute to Johnny Hodges as does the serpentine clarinet of Dan Block (Jimmy Hamilton) and the Gonsalvesian tenor sax of Mark Hynes.

Marlowe celebrates Philip Marlowe, novelist Raymond Chandler's private eye character. The composer explains that the piece was "more of a composite, peeling  away layer after layer and getting to the bottom only to find deep personal truth. Definitely not for the faint of heart".  "Marlowe" is a compelling musical incarnation- an impressionistic vision that would light  up on stage or screen.

The music of David Berger and his unique and outstanding ensemble have gone to great lengths to produce a great contemporary work of art. Hear its vital message.
Frank

David Berger (composer, arranger, conductor); Jerry Dodgion, Matt Hong, Dan Block, Mark Hynes, Jay Brandford (reeds); Bob Millikan, Brian Pareschi, Irv Grossman, Steven Bernstein (trumpet); Ryan Keberle, Pat Hallaran, Marshall Gilkes (trombone); George Flynn (Marlowe only, bass trombone); Doug Wamble (Marlowe suite only, guitar); Isaac Ben Ayala (piano); Dennis Irwin, bass; Jimmy Madison, drums; Aria Hendricks, vocal (on Heroes).

Released in 2004 on the Such Sweet Thunder label. Cat. no. - SST103.

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