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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.

Friday, May 01, 2020

Tonight's Blue Note: Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue

Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax); Kenny Burrell (guitar); Major Holley Jr. (bass); Bill English (drums); Ray Barretto (conga).

As the title implies, this isn't a funky soul based album although  there is soul-a-plenty on all 7 tracks. 

No, this is an album steeped in the blues. Not the "I woke up this mornin'" variety but the more sophisticated 12 bar form that has been at the root of all jazz from Bunk to funk. It's laid back, restrained, well-tempered music that sits as well in the early hours as does any late night Sinatra album. 

Burrell is the epicentre of taste - not as earthy as Grant Green but maybe harmonically more profound. I'll leave it to our guitar gurus to decide on that one.


Turrentine is equally laid back in comparison to some of his other Blue Notes. Here he is as smooth as Ben Webster on a ballad. Major Holley (Mule) was, for a few years in the mid-fifties, on the British scene and he composed the track bearing his nickname.

If you are in the fortunate position of having a book of verses, a loaf of bread, a jug of wine and a thou to hand,..use your loaf and exchange it and the book for a copy of Midnight Blue, turn the lights down low, pour a couple of shots from the jug, put the player on repeat and this will be one album you'll never forget. Having said that, even without the aforementioned malarkey from The Rubaiyat, it's still a great album.
Lance.
Listen.
Chitlins Con Carne; Mule; Soul Lamment; Midnight Blue; Wavy Gravy; Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You; Saturday Night Blues.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Have to say, (in my opinion) jazz guitar in a 'straight ahead' sense, apart from some obvious exceptions (Wes, early Benson etc) has generally always been overshadowed by the jazz of horn players, piano players etc in terms of instrumental proficiency and compositional output - this does not necessarily include fusion and gypsy jazz guitar though; but at least in terms of the quality of music produced, the best jazz generally doesn't have guitar featured e.g Wayne Shorter , Coltrane (Kenny Burrell plays on one album), Miles unplugged (not including the fusion era as part of the argumeng/point/whatever this is! )
The past 30-40 (?) odd years or so, are probably the most interesting for the guitar in jazz, partly because of advances in sound or more guitar players properly emulating the aesthetics of horn or piano language on the instrument; nowadays more of the 'best' jazz has a guitar featured, often as well as a piano.
Interestingly, it seems that a chunk of the guitar payers who are currently finding a new voice on the instrument seem to take less influence from guitar players.
I can say all this with no vibe- I'm a guitar player :( Would be interested to hear what other guitar players / musicians in general think about this..

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