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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

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: La Malbec Orchestra @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 21: Linsday Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Ray Stubbs R & B All Stars @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:30pm. Free.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 22: Brief Encounter @ Bardon Mill Village Hall, Northumberland. 7:00pm. Tickets: £10.00. adv from 07885 303166; £12.00. on the door. Chris & Veronica Perrin improvising to a screening of the 1929 'Jazz Age' silent film Piccadilly (Dir. Ewald André Dupont).
Fri 22: Paul Edis & Graeme Wilson + Three Tsuru Origami @ Jesmond United Reformed Church, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 22: Crooners @ Tyne Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Fri 22: Abbie Finn's Finntet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 23: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tanfield Railway, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. Free. A '1940s Weekend' event.
Sat 23: Jason Isaacs @ Stack, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 23: Andrew Porritt & Keith Barrett @ Cullercoats Watch House, Front St., Cullercoats NE30 4QB. 7:00pm.
Sat 23: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Country blues.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.

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.

Wednesday, August 05, 2020

Album review: Evan Christopher & David Torkanowsky - Live at Luthjen's

Evan Christopher (clarinet); David Torkanowsky (piano).

Recorded live in New Orleans at what is described as "a historic venue" by a duo who pay homage without lip service to the music that began life Way Down Yonder in New Orleans which just happens to be the first track. Apart from the opening, out of tempo chorus, few would have recognised the tune so beloved of Dixie bands the world over which is no bad thing bringing, as it does, a refreshing vitality to the old warhorse.

Sid's Biz is one of four Christopher originals. A medium tempo blues it made me realise what a beautiful round tone he gets from his Improved Albert System Selmer clarinet. Every note blown hits the inside of the instrument and comes out with a rare warmth that's so fluid you can almost taste it.

Make me a Pallet on the Floor is one of those numbers that usually have the player inflicting a vocal chorus upon the listener. Not so, these two, they let the music speak for itself.

Rollin' the Jernt is another original by Christopher with Torkanowsky pounding away like James P. Bass? Drums? Who needs 'em?

The pianist provided Melody For Jaco. It is quite emotional. Jitterbug Waltz gets the fingers working as it invariably does albeit with a rubato section by the pianist that made for a brief cooling off period.

Christopher's Pouncing Around's a foot-tapper and it wouldn't surprise me if the more mobile members of the audience weren't shaking it about a bit - I know I was! 

Strayhorn's A Flower is a Lovesome Thing was suitably melancholic. Torkanowsky's Big Greaze wasn't - it swung to such an extent it almost rocked!

Valse Marignaise from Christopher's Faubourg Variations Suite brought this unpretentious, but immaculately presented, album to a close. 

An absolute gem.
Lance.

3 comments :

Patti said...

Lance! What label is the cd on, and when can we order it? Anything by these guys will be delightful, and this sounds wonderful. I have a few Evan Christopher cd's - on lejazzetal.

Lance said...

Same label lejazzetal.

Patti said...

Cheers, Lance! And I have to say, Evan's tone on the clarinet is so beautiful, warm, fluid, and just the right amount of earthy vibrato - quite reminiscent of Omer Simeon and others, so distinctively New Orleans-y.

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