Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

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.                                                                   

No comments :

Blog Archive