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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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!"

Postage

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

June

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 04: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 04: Central Bar Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. £5.00. The Central Bar Quintet plays Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Featuring Lewis Watson.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 04: Struggle Buggy + Michael Littlefield @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues.
Sun 04: Swinging at the Cotton Club: Harry Strutters' Hot Rhythm Orchestra @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 04: Richard Jones Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 04: Jam No. 18 @ Fabio's Bar, Saddler Street, Durham. 8:00pm. Free. All welcome. A Durham University Jazz Society event.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Album Review: Fred Randolph - Mood Walk

A bass-playing leader playing his own compositions wasn't a recipe that filled me with eager anticipation and my first thought was, who can I pass it on to who will appreciate it more than I will?

Then I played it! Boy did I get it wrong. The moment the needle hit the groove (figuratively speaking) I knew this was mine.

On the Upside: Randolph says it was inspired by Clifford Brown - it sure was! The head was so recognisable I tried to put a name to it but couldn't. Whatever, it's a great number.

Unaware: Chick Corea is the inspiration and Sheldon Brown impresses on flute and there are some tasty vibes from Dillon Vado. Where have I been hiding? I'd never heard of these musicians but they are Summa Cum Laude as Bud Freeman once named his band. Well, these guys are far removed from the world of Bud Freeman other than they play with the highest distinction.

T Bone Slide is a bouncy shuffle groove with Sankovich doing the business on B3. In case you think it all happens in NYC, check out Northern California where these guys hang out.

It's West Coast, but not as we remember it from the old days. The same quality of musicianship, yes, but gutsier, more intense, less ephemeral. Typical being Strange Game - David Crosby the subconscious inspiration. 

Mood Walk, runs rather than walks, enabling trumpet and tenor to blow some 21st century bebop with piano and bass adding to the recipe.

Knowing has a nice Latin feel to it, far removed from the pseudo bossa rhythms that pervade the European (and UK) scene. To misquote from the Leiber/Stoller number Peggy Lee (and Zoë Gilby) used to do so well - these cats really do know!

Mr Now came via Randolph listening to Coltrane Plays the Blues. I think that maybe Sheldon Brown also listened to the same album. But what am I doing mentioning names? Every one is Napoleon Brandy!

Todd Rundgren is name checked in the title of Todd's Idea. Sankovich plays a Wurlitzer electric piano on this one bringing back memories of the days when your allegiances were either Wurlitzer or Fender Rhodes. I think the Rhodes probably won that particular war although I  personally preferred the sound of the former.  

Nouveau Monde features the Congolese Ndombolo rhythm adding to the cosmopolitan feel of the album. Meadows is a Latin waltz and the album finishes off with Funky N.O. Thing. This does exactly what it says on the label and everyone has a good old blast.

Now available via the usual suspects - check out here.
Lance

Fred Randolph (basses); Erik Jecabson (trumpet/flugel); Sheldon Brown (tenor sax/flute); Dan Zemelman (piano); Greg Wyser-Pratte (drums) + Greg Sankovich (keys/organ) ; Silvestre Martinez (perc.); Brian Rice (perc.); Dillon Vado (vibes). 

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