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Bebop Spoken There

Charles McPherson: “Jazz is best heard in intimate places”. (DownBeat, 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

16611 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 1504 of them this year alone and, so far, 50 this month (July 23).

From This Moment On ...

July

Sat 27: BBC Proms: BBC Introducing stage @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free. Line-up inc. Nu Groove (2:00pm); Abbie Finn Trio (2:50pm); Dilutey Juice (3:50pm); SwanNek (5:00pm); Rivkala (6:00pm).
Sat 27: Nomade Swing Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sat 27: Mississippi Dreamboats @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sat 27: Milne-Glendinning Band @ Cafédral, Owengate, Durham. 9:00pm. £9.00. & £6.00. A Durham Fringe Festival event.
Sat 27: Theon Cross + Knats @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 10:00pm. £22.00. BBC Proms: BBC Introducing Stage (Sage Two). A late night gig.

Sun 28: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm.
Sun 28: Miss Jean & the Ragtime Rewind Swing Band @ Fonteyn Ballroom, Dunelm House (Durham Students’ Union), Durham. 2:00pm. £9.00. & £6.00. A Durham Fringe Festival event.
Sun 28: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Nomade Swing Trio @ Red Lion, Alnmouth. 4:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 28: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 28: Milne Glendinning Band @ Cafédral, Owengate, Durham. 9:00pm. £9.00. & £6.00. A Durham Fringe Festival event.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: ???

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 31: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

August

Thu 01: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:30pm. £4.00.
Thu 01: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 01: Elsadie & the Bobcats @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 02: Mainly Two @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free (donations). SOLD OUT! Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. POSTPONED!

Sunday, August 22, 2021

CD Review: June Garber – Off The Carousel

June Garber (vocals); Lou Pomanti (keyboards except track 6) + collectively: Steve Heathcote (drums); Marc Rogers (bass); Jake Langley (guitar); Drew Jurecka (strings); William Sperandei (trumpet); Robyn Black (background vocals)

This is one for people who like musical theatre as well as jazz, because some of the singing is close to the more dramatic musical theatre style and the inclusion of strings on most tracks adds to that effect.  No accident because June Garber is also an actor.

A native of South Africa, Ms Garber settled in Canada to become a leading vocalist with a career spanning four decades. After touring with her own 8-piece band to places such as Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Toronto, her jazz career didn't actually begin until 2003. This, Garber's fourth jazz album,  is meant to convey life's journey as a wild carousel ride both rough and smooth This is shown by the choice of songs and well summed up by the last and shortest track, Rules Of The Road, which moves along with witty lyrics sung to organ-like sounds from the keyboard.

The voice is clear and pleasing, but the strings are more suited to some tracks than others, for instance they worked well on Windmills of Your Mind, but were not so effective on The Shadow of Your Smile. It was good to hear honest to goodness jazz solos, such as the trumpet on Come to me High. Just for a Thrill featured a skilled male singer in duet, Jackie Richardson, not listed elsewhere. Chick Corea’s Spain was one of my favourite tracks, a Spanish guitar with lots of rhythm, backing singers, and a clapping sound from the drums.

It's a miracle of Covid era recording that we have this CD at all, as the album was mixed by keysman Lou Pomanti from remotely recorded tracks. It is available from September 17 via VesuviusMusic Inc. See www.junegarber.com.

Plus, on a personal level, I have been rewarded with a bonus for doing this review, sort of. The information sheet supplied was in both English and French, so I can practise my 'O' Level French. Merci bien! Ann Alex

He Never Mentioned Love; Windmills of Your Mind; Just For A Thrill; Spain; Shadow Of Your Smile; When October Goes; Come to me High; Rules Of The Road

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