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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

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.

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Alice Grace Quartet @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 28: Faye MacCalman + Snape/Sankey @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 28: Zoe Rahman @ Jesmond United Reformed Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 28: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.
Thu 28: Speakeasy @ Queen's Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. £15.00. A Southpaw Dance Company presentation. Dance, audio-visuals, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, swing dancers etc.
Thu 28: Mick Cantwell Band @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Ace blues band.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.

Sat 30: John Pope Quintet + Late Girl + Shapeshifters @ Bobik's, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Sat 30: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

OCTOBER

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Album review: Kemuel Roig - Genesis

In case anyone was in doubt, a glance at the personnel will give them a strong indication of where the inspiration for the music comes from - Cuba!

Of all the Latin countries, and I include Brazil in this wide statement, none has merged its indigenous music and rhythms with jazz as seamlessly as Cuba whilst, at the same time retaining its identity. The proof, if proof were needed, can be found in this exciting album.

Pianist Roig, who spent the past 8 years touring with Arturo Sandoval, came to the United States as a 12 year old in 2002. Although this is his first jazz release under his own name over the past 18 years living in Miami he has appeared and recorded with names such as Al Di Meola, Isaac Delgado and Brian Lynch among others. His piano work delights as he traces his Cuban roots and traditions to the present time.

As in so much Cuban music the trumpet plays a major role. Padron's feature on Pare Cochero (which translates as "stop coachman") transports us to the streets of Havana at jazz festival time. Brecker's equally virtuosic performance on Conversation takes us back to the mainland but hey! Miami's almost Cuba si?

Ed Calle has a tenor blast on All God's Chillun Got Rhythm and  Mercy Brass provide extra power here and on several other tracks. Chris Potter kicks in with more tenor on Inner Urge and Milton Sesenton provides the orchestral string backing on All For You with the compulsive percussion reminding us where we are.

Café Con Leche is mainly piano blended with some spiky double bass. Maybe it's coffee shop music but it's coffee to die for.

Kendrick (Blessed Child) is dedicated to one of the pianist's two sons and is suitably emotional. The Prayer reflects Roig's spirituality and, no surprise, has a gospel feel about it building up to a powerful climax that left me quite breathless and not sure whether I wanted to go to church or to Cuba.

Lance

Kemuel Roig (piano/keys/perc); Randy Brecker, Julio Padron, (trumpets); Chris Potter, Ed Calle (tenor sax); Alain Perez, Joel Hermandez (vocals); Lowell Ringel (bass); Hilario Bell (drums/perc); Jose "Majito" Agulera (perc) + 

Mercy BrassOsvaldo Fleites, Gerardo Rodriguez ; Bayron Ramos (trombone); Roylan Vazquez (tenor sax); Milton Sesenton (orchestra/arranger/conductor).

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