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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

15516 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 536 of them this year alone and, so far, 25 this month (June 7).

From This Moment On ...

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 13: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 13: Infusion Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm.
Tue 13: Alice Grace & Pawel Jedrzejewski @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv.).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 14: NUJO Final Jazz Jam @ Bar Loco, Newcastle. 6:30pm. Free. Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra's final jam session of the academic year. All welcome.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
. Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Saturday, March 25, 2023

Album Review: Sharon Sable & Joe Holt - Once Upon a Summertime: The Music Of Blossom Dearie

Sharon Sable (voice); Joe Holt (piano) + Amy Shook (acoustic bass tracks 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11)

I remember listening to Blossom Dearie before I knew about jazz, and being fascinated by her naïve and lovely sound. Readers of BSH don't need me to outline her work of six decades, performing in jazz clubs, cabaret, in Paris, London, NYC, and covering the GASbook and her own material.

These two performers developed this project during the lull of lockdown, twelve tracks including two written by Ms Dearie, Inside a Silent Tear  and I Like You, You're Nice. 

Ms Sable's voice is similar to that of Ms Dearie but after listening to the latter I have to say that Blossom definitely has the edge, but perhaps comparisons aren't appropriate. Joe Holt's piano is superb, adventurous and complementing the singer well, yet never losing the feel of the original tune throughout his improvisation.

Little Jazz Bird is full of delightful fun and Ms Sable gives personality to the song. You Fascinate Me So has a clever piano solo and delightful lyrics such as 'make your sanctimonious little speech to me'. The title song, written by Michel Legrand et al, is suitably slow and sad. They Say It's Spring has a pleasing piano and bass duet. Tea For Two is sung very slowly, just as Blossom Dearie used to perform that song, and the album is rounded off with Dearie's intriguing I Like You, You're Nice, and a more electronic sound on piano.   

Sharon Sable began by singing pop songs in the '90s but later graduated towards other types of music, including performing with top jazz musicians around the Philadelphia area, and she is now a sought-after vocalist. Joe Holt has been playing jazz since the 1970s and is now a revered accompanist and jazz soloist in the Greater Baltimore/Washington region.

The CD is self-released and is available at all fine retailers from April 11. see websites sharonsablemusic.com and joeholtnotes.comAnn Alex

Little Jazz Bird; You Fascinate me so; Down With Love; Once Upon a Summertime; Letang; They Say it's Spring; Surrey With the Fringe on Top; Inside a Silent Tear; Gentleman Friend; Boom; Tea For Two; I Like You, You're Nice.

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