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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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

17328 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 612 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (Sept. 5).

From This Moment On ...

September

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: ???

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. A ‘second Wednesday in the month’ jam session.
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 12: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:30pm. £4.00. ‘A Great Day in Harlem’.
Thu 12: The Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Pete Tanton & co.
Thu 12: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. THC with guests Donna Hewitt, Bill Watson, Dave Archbold, Adrian Beadnell, Mark Hawkins.

Fri 13: Jeff Barnhart & Neville Dickie @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Two pianos, two pianists! SOLD OUT!
Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Dilutey Juice @ Old Coal Yard, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.00. adv..
Fri 13: Ray Stubbs R & B All-stars @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. Classic blues.

Sat 14: Jeff Barnhart’s Silent Film Fest @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 14: Customs House Big Band w. Ruth Lambert @ St Paul’s Centre, St Paul’s Gardens, Spennymoor DL16 7LR. 7:00pm (6:45pm doors). Tickets £10.00. from the venue or tel: 01388 813404. A ‘BYOB’ event.
Sat 14: Emma Wilson @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. £12.00. Acoustic blues.
Sat 14: Rat Pack - Swingin’ at the Sands @ Billingham Forum. 7:30pm.

Sun 15: Jude Murphy, Steve Chambers & Sid White @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Panharmonia @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Monday, July 12, 2021

Album review: The Mark Masters Ensemble - Masters & Baron Meet Blanton & Webster

It takes a brave man to offer fresh interpretations of Ellington's music and to do it without falling short. Fortunately, Masters manages to pull it off with neither insult nor injury to the original recordings which were by the 1940-42 band. That band was often referred to as the Blanton-Webster Band with reference to key players Jimmy Blanton, who revolutionised bass playing, and Ben Webster, one of the all-time greats of the tenor saxophone.

Kirsten Edkins and Jerry Pinter share Webster's solos with Bruce Lett occupying the Blanton berth. However, there's more - much more.

One of the key members of that particular Ellington band (justifiably known as Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra) was trombonist Joe Nanton or "Tricky Sam" who, arguably, could be said to have invented the growl/plunger style of trombone playing. Here, Art Baron, who himself played in the very last Ellington band, takes on the role as if to the manor born.

On trumpet, Tim Hagans is more Clark Terry than Ray Nance and drummer Ferber swings like Sam Woodyard rather than the more exotic Sonny Greer.

Whilst most of the pieces are identifiable to those familiar with the originals a notable exception is Duke's Place, better known as C Jam Blues where it is only as the band hits the out chorus that we get a clue as to the tune. This in no way diminishes it as, apart from solos by Schroeder, Woodley and Lett there's some exciting trumpet exchanges between Stout and Hagans.

Whether you're a devout Ellingtonian or just a mere fan it's an album well worth checking out. Lance.

Available now on Capri Records (74166). Sample.

All Too Soon; Duke's Place; I Got it Bad; A Flower is a Lovesome Thing; What am I Here For?; Jack the Bear; Perdido; Passion flower; Take the 'A' Train; Ko-Ko; Introduction to In a Mellotone; In a Mellotone.

Scott Englebright, Les Lovitt, Ron Stout, Tim Hagans (trumpet); Les Benedict, Dave Woodley, Art Baron (trombone); Kirsten Edkins, Jerry Pinter (tenor/soprano saxes); Danny House (alto sax/clarinet); Adam Schroeder (baritone sax); Bruce Lett (bass); Mark Ferber (drums); Mark Masters (arranger).

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