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Bebop Spoken There

Kelly Sill: "Just because everyone is playing through the changes in the same time doesn't mean they're actually playing together" - (JazzTimes March/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

15260 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 279 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (March 29).

From This Moment On ...

April

Sun 02: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny. 12:45pm.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.

Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 04: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 04: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations. Feat. John Pope, Marie Shreer, John Garner.
Thu 06: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 06: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Note earlier start time.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 07: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 07: Finntet + Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.
Fri 07: TBA @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Blind Pig Blues Club.

Sat 08: Me Lost Me + Ceitidh Mac + Heather Ferrier @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 7:30pm. JNE.
Sat 08: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington DL1 5PN. 6:00pm. New venue, live jazz!
Sat 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED from last week (Sat 01).
Sat 08: Robbie Reay @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Acoustic blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Mr Tighe's, Bebside, Northumberland. 8:30pm.

Monday, February 06, 2023

Album review: Marina Pacowski - Inner Urge.

Marina Pacowski (vocal) + (see graphic).

Born and raised in Biarritz (described in the blurb as "a lovely seaside resort in southwestern France" which makes it sound like Blackpool to those of us who aren't jet setters) Pacowski eventually made it to Los Angeles where she soon became established as both a singer and pianist on the local jazz scene.

For this, her debut album, it is her amazing vocalising that is featured. To describe the wordless flights of improvisation as mere scatting would be a grave disservice - any horn player would love to have them transcribed for their instrument to the extent that they would probably be projected into the DownBeat polls. In fact they could well do the same for Mam'selle Pacowski - listen to the vocal blast on Donna Lee.

On the more straight forward readings her delightful accent adds an additional piquancy - Dijon Mustard does the same on a hot dog, both a meeting of two continents and two cultures.

As the graphic shows, la crème de la crème of California's jazz aristocracy are, in various combinations, adding to the occasion. Joel Frahm only shows up on Joe Henderson's Inner Urge but it's a real belter only matched by Pacowski's a thousand sounds a minute solo. Up Jumped Spring has Carl Saunders on trumpet, Peter Erskine on drums and Larry Koonse or guitar and, of course, Marina goes for it keeping everyone on their toes.

East of the Sun features, along with Marina, the "G-jammers" who simply blow the roof off!

The final number, What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? (qu'est-ce que tu fais le reste de ta vie?) was a question easily answered - I'll be eagerly awaiting her next album and a UK tour. Lance

Inner Urge; Pensativa; Solar; My Foolish Heart; Donna Lee; On Green Dolphin Street; I'm Old Fashioned; Moon and Sand; East of the Sun; La Vie\En Rose; Up Jumped Spring; Taking a Chance on Love; What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? 

Available on March 10 (day after my birthday - what a present!) on Summit Records DCD807.

1 comment :

Hugh said...

Ah, but, Dijon mustard and the hot dog both probably originate from the same continent! 😉

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