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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise April 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

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 28: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 28: Sanaz Lavasani Trio @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 30: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. Back to 1:00pm stomp off. Free.
Thu 30: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 30: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Monday, January 18, 2021

Album review: Will Glaser - Climbing in Circles

Will Glaser (drums); Matthew Herd (saxophones); Liam Noble (piano).

An intimate and subtle third album of this name, led by young London-based drummer Glaser, the culmination as a trio after 2 duo albums: Part 1 with young saxophonist Herd and Part 2 with widely-praised and versatile pianist Noble.  All three comprise a mix of standards and covers with some looser group improvisations, this recording with four originals and five   covers.

Glaser treats the kit as a melodic and textural instrument as much as rhythmic foundation tool, and his partners share this philosophy on their own instruments, resulting in a varied soundscape of moods, tending to the avant garde in places, with extended techniques of piano internals and sax effects.


While there are few straight ahead moments, and something of the Bad Plus’ disconcerting fractured feel in places, there is an abundance of empathy and musical interplay. The band clearly trust and enjoy each other’s company, and complement both rhythmically and harmonically,  leaving space for seemingly casual virtuoso passages in a delightful variety of combinations and styles.

The strongest improvised pieces are the last two. The menacing and moody  Song For The Snake Man opens with dissonant piano and sax, satisfyingly joined by kit as the final piece of an interlocking jigsaw.  The Magician Longs To See is thoughtful and delicate, and more relaxed than much of the album.

But for me, the band come to life with the covers, which while treated with reverence, are enhanced with new colour palettes, emphasis and exquisite playing.   The standout is Don Cherry’s distinctive Mopti, from the 1980 ECM album Playing.  At nearly 11 minutes, there is room for inspirational interpretation of the circulating melody by all three players.  Glaser takes full advantage of the space, stretching out to work over the loping rhythm every which way.

Mood Indigo is a warm and relaxed exploration of Duke Ellington’s classic, while Tom Waits’ Lonely is played as a limpid ballad, with breathy sax and brushes replacing the gravel voice.

The film tune I'm An Old Cowhand, written for Bing Crosby and turned into a jazz standard by Sonny Rollins, is taken even further here in a jaunty frolic.  Paul Motian’s Mumbo Jumbo is the other standout,  with drums as an instrument confidently navigating the choppy waters between abstruse and exhilarating.

An intriguing and absorbing listen – I await these outstanding players’ next moves with interest!

Chris K

Release date: 22 Jan 2021  Ubuntu Music: CD Cat: UBU 0075CD

Buy CD or digital  

Will Glaser

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