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Farewell Blues

R.I.P. HRH Queen Elizabeth ll (1926 - Sept. 8, 2022).
R.I.P. Trevor Tomkins (1941 - Sept. 9, 2022).
R.I.P. Gordon McGregor (Sept. 11, 2022).
R.I.P. Ramsey Lewis (1935 - Sept. 12, 2022).
R.I.P. Pharoah Sanders (Oct. 13, 1940 - Sept. 24, 2022).
R.I.P. Sue Mingus (April 2, 1930 - Sept. 24, 2022).

Bebop Spoken There

Larry Klein: "- in a certain way - Leonard [Cohen] is the greatest songwriter ever." - (Jazzwise October 2022)

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

14623 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 14 years ago. 901 of them this year alone and, so far, 101 this month (Sept. 30).

From This Moment On ...

September

Sun 02 RUTH LAMBERT TRIO @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon.
Sun 02: Helena Anahita Wilson @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 02: Zoë Gilby Trio w Noel Dennis + John Garner & John Pope + Dilutey Juice @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. £7.00.
Sun 02: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm.
Sun 02: Foundry Jazz Ensemble @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 02: Lindsay Hannon's 'Tom Waits for No Man' @ Three Tanners Bank, North Shields. 6:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Celebrating the Life & Music of Pharoah Sanders @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £8.00. on the door. Feat. Sue Ferris, Paul Gowland, Tom Atkinson, Jude Murphy, Jeff Armstrong.
Sun 02: Shifa + Bex Burch & Leafcutter John + Farida Amadou @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 04: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Durham. 7:00pm. Free (to reserve a table phone 0191 386 5556).
Tue 04: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.
Tue 04: Blue Jazz Quartet w Rivkala @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 05: Hot Club du Nord @ St Wilfred's Church, Kirkharle, Northumberland. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Waiting list open.
Wed 05: Hot Club du Nord @ St Wilfred's Church, Kirkharle, Northumberland. 4:00pm.
Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 05: Rat Pack - Swingin' at the Sands @ Darlington Hippodrome. 7:30pm.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, North Tyneside. 1:00pm.
Thu 06: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 6:30-9:00pm.
Thu 06: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free admission (donations).
Thu 06: Paul Skerritt Duo @ Tomahawk Steakhouse, High St., Yarm. 8:00pm. Paul Skerritt & James Harrison residency.
Thu 06: Brass Funkeys + Baghdaddies @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 06: Mo Scott Band @ The Schooner, South Shore Road, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Thu 06: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. 'Tom Waits for No Man'. A Harbour View Speakeasy event.
Thu 06: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm. Garry Hadfield (keys) Bill Watson (trumpet) Josh Bentham (sax) Mark Hawkins (drums) Adrian Beadnell (bass)

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: Hannabiell & the Midnight Blue Collective + Knats @ Dance City, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £15.00. (£12.50. student).
Fri 07: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. 'Celebrating Oscar'.
Fri 07: TBA @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free (donations). Blind Pig Blues Club.
Fri 07: Anth Purdy @ Waterford Arms, Seaton Sluice. 8:00pm.
Fri 07: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 8:30pm.

Sat 8 Oct, Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Buck Inn, Thornton Watlass, Ripon HG4 4AH. 12.20pm.
Sat 08: Paul Skerritt w Danny Miller Big Band @ Westovian Theatre, South Shields. 7:30pm.
Sat 08: Milne-Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sat 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. Maureen Hall's monthly residency one week later than usual.

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Album review: The Mark Masters Ensemble - Night Talk: The Alec Wilder Songbook featuring Gary Smulyan

Alec Wilder is sometimes overlooked when the average Joe/Jo list their favourite composers. Gershwin, Kern, Berlin etc. roll easily off the tongue. Wilder doesn't, even though he was well admired by such as Sinatra, Bennett, Lee and others. Possibly because his popular song output was interspersed with operas, symphonies and other classical works. In fact, if you were to ask me to name three of his best known songs, I'd be struggling after While We're Young and I'll Be Around - two songs that can hold their own against the complete works of any other composer.

Only the latter song is included in this, and I use the word advisedly, masterful album which is worthy of more stars than there are in the Galaxy.


Leader, arranger, producer, chief cook and bottle washer Masters has crafted nine tremendous settings reminiscent of the work of such creative minds as Marty Paich, Bill Russo, Gil Evans  and, say,  Gerry Mulligan - Masters is in that league or maybe I should rephrase that and say that they are in his league!

Mentioning Mulligan is apt as, just as Gerry was the defining modern jazz voice on baritone back in the 1950/60s,  so is Gary Smulyan the voice of the big horn today. Big sound, not as big as Harry Carney's but close and faster, more modern.

Yes Smulyan is tops but, there are other horn-players who run him close - no need to mention names, they are listed in the album's personnel details.

I wonder what Wilder would have made of  the uptempo version of I'll Be Around?

After hearing Peggy Lee singing While We're Young he sent her a note saying that the next time she sang it, when she came to the bridge, she should jump off it! Maybe he may have said the same to Mark Masters? Maybe not - to my ears it works beautifully.

If I don't hear a better album this year I'll not complain - virus? What virus?
Lance.


You're Free; Don't Deny; Ellen; Moon and Sand; Baggage Room Blues; I Like it Here; Night Talk; Lovers and Losers; I'll be Around.

Gary Smulyan (baritone sax); Bob Summers (trumpet); Don Shelton (alto sax/alto flute); Jerry Pinter (tenor sax/soprano sax); Dave Woodley (trombone); Ed Czach (piano); Putter Smith (bass); Kendall Kay (drums); Mark Masters (MD/arranger).
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