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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Monday, June 06, 2022

Gershwin's Summertime 'The Song That Conquered The World' - BBC4 - June 3

There have been at least 25,000 performances of this song so Lance has many more versions to listen to before he's done! This excellent programme explored how the song came to be written, played excerpts of the many different versions, and explained why it is such a popular song, rivalled in popularity by only two other songs, My Way and Yesterday.

Summertime has been sung in the style of pop, rock, jazz, bebop, reggae, various Caribbean styles, as a Civil Rights anthem, in a gospel style, and of course it was sung originally as an aria in the opera Porgy And Bess. We heard a fascinating range of versions, beginning with the Billie Holiday offering which, for my money, is hard to beat. I found Ella Fitzgerald's version rather unemotional compared with others.

We heard Julie London's breathy, seductive rendering; Janis Joplin singing a tortured scratchy vocal; Mahalia Jackson's spiritual version which she paired with 'Sometimes I Feel like a Motherless Child; even a rock and roll rendering by Ricky Nelson and his band. Then there was an effective example with just voice and conga drums, and a version from the African country of Benin. This last has been translated to make sense in the language of that country, so 'Your mama's rich' had become 'your mother has soul' and 'Summertime' was translated as 'when the heat time comes'. Fascinating stuff.

Many readers will know the jazz instrumental versions by the likes of Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bill Evans and Charlie Parker. Courtney Pine remarked that the strong lyrics helped musicians to play well so instrumentalists should have the lyrics in mind as they play. Never a truer word, thank you Mr Pine.

It is tragic that George Gershwin didn't live to see how popular his song became as he died of a brain tumour in his late 30s. The lyrics are credited to DuBose Heyward who wrote the novel Porgy on which the opera is based, with input from Ira Gershwin. As the poet Lemn Sissay pointed out, the song is a lullaby which can be interpreted either as describing your life as it is, rich daddy etc, or looking forward to how you want life to become in the future. That is the strength of the lullaby when sung to a baby.

Gershwin wrote the opera in 1935, against the background of the American Depression, hoping to be recognised as a serious composer. The first performance was given by an all black cast and the critics gave the work a mixed reception. The show didn't make much money for Gershwin. The song tune has a languid summertime 'feel' and is in a minor key, not usual for a lullaby, giving a melancholy edge, according to how it is sung.

This programme has added lots of useful information which is relevant to performers, people interested in musical history and people who simply enjoy listening. Ann Alex

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