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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 ...

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.

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Sunday, August 23, 2020

Charlie Parker – The Golden Era Bebop Five.


On May 7, 1949, Charlie Parker and his Quintet flew to France to take part in that year’s Paris International Jazz Festival together with a star-studded line-up of American jazz stars of the era including Sidney Bechet, Hot Lips Page, Miles Davis, Big Chief Russell Moore, Pete Johnson, and Tadd Dameron among others. On May 5, Bird and his group were in the studio taping tracks for Norman Granz’ Mercury label.

A musically successful session, but the results were never released in any logical format until decades later. As a result, the tracks have been overlooked by many reviewers, discographers and commentators down the years owing to the chaotic, error-strewn, piece-meal naming and releasing of the songs and by the incompetence of the various music organisations, mainly Granz, involved.


However, thanks to Phil Schaap (a Parker ‘authority’ who has spent his life researching all aspects of  Bird’s music in minute detail), all the material recorded on that day has been correctly released “warts-and-all” on Unheard Bird: Charlie Parker The Unissued Takes on Verve 00602547846587. The three tracks are now known as Tune X (Segment/Diverse) Tune Y (Blues) and Tune Z (Passport) and throughout, Charlie’s playing is amazing. He is confident, unbelievably imaginative, playful, daring and fully in control of the situation. One can tell that the whole group were also looking forward to this prestigious event in Paris.

Al Haig, in my opinion, Bird’s best accompanist – his comping was so musical, apposite and supportive that it would inspire the front line players. Max Roach, equally impressive, prompting, cajoling, guiding and thoughtfully kicking the whole session along.

Trumpeter Kenny Dorham’s playing was somewhat uneven, however, it must be remembered that he was a young man learning his trade in the shadows of Gillespie and Navarro in the crucible of the Parker Quintet and who, later in his career, became a fluent first-rate player with a lovely burnished tone.

Tommy Potter on bass was Bird’s ‘Mr Dependable’ providing accurate, bouncy, bebop bass-lines completing the ideal rhythm section. There is a photograph taken at the Salle Pleyel where Tommy is playing at the front of the group and Bird and Kenny are standing behind – it looks as though Bird wanted the bass lines to be picked up by the house sound system (there were no amps for the bass in those days).

From the numerous alternate takes provided by Phil Schaap it’s possible to hear Charlie trying out ideas, improving or discarding them. There are several examples of him using a favourite device where he begins his phrase a bar or two before the conventional sequence leaving the listener (and possibly the rhythm section) disconcerted – this was groundbreaking in 1949! He also gets himself into musical tight corners in his solos but always seems ‘to get away with it’ naturally. The aural fidelity of the session is surprisingly high for the time and Charlie’s own tone was captured fully ranging from gentle, warm, beguiling and sensuous to harsh, electrifying and demanding.

Bird, vous etes formidable, Bravo!
Dave B.                                                                   

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