Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Dee Dee Bridgewater: “ Our world is becoming a very ugly place with guns running rampant in this country... and New Orleans is called the murder capital of the world right now ". Jazzwise, May 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

16408 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 288 of them this year alone and, so far, 85 this month (April 30).

From This Moment On ...

May

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Conor Emery: Jazz Trombone, Stage 3 Final Recital @ Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 7:00pm. All welcome, the venue is located in the lane behind Blackwell’s, Percy St., Haymarket.
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 09: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 09: Lewis Watson Quartet + Langdale Youth Jazz Ensemble @ Laurel’s Theatre, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 09: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Dave Archbold (keys); Ron Smith (bass).

Fri 10: Michael Woods @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free. Country blues guitar & vocals. SOLD OUT!
Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Citrus @ The Head of Steam, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £11.25.
Fri 10: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ St Cuthbert’s, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.

Sat 11: Jeffrey Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 11: Alligator Gumbo @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm.
Sat 11: Milne-Glendinning Band @ Yarm Parish Church. 7:30pm.
Sat 11: Tom Remon & Laurence Harrison @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 12: GoGo Penguin @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). All standing gig.
Sun 12: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Downstairs. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 12: Satin Beige @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.50 + bf. Upstairs. R&B cello & vocals
Sun 12: Fergus McCreadie Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £19.80.
Sun 12: Schmid/Wheatley/Prévost + Signe Emmeluth @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 13: Emma Fisk & James Birkett @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £8.00.

Tue 14: ???

Monday, September 18, 2023

Album review: Audrey Silver - Oklahoma

Audrey Silver (vocals, Native American flute on tk 1); Bruce Barth (piano, arranger); Peter Bernstein (guitar) + Adam Kolker (alto flute, bass clarinet on 3 tks); Kahlil Kwame Bell (perc. on 2 tks); Sarah Zun, Adda Kridler); Kaya Bryla (viola); Maria Jeffers (cello). The string quartet are on 3 tks.

I must confess, Oklahoma isn't my favourite musical - that honour goes to Kiss me Kate. Nevertheless, despite my reservations about the source material this album helps to redress the balance.

Silver's voice is much jazzier than Shirley Jones' or Gloria Graham's in the film and Barth's arrangements, along with his piano solos that occasionally bring Erroll Garner to mind, and Bernstein's impeccable guitar playing take it, musically, as far from Rodgers and Hammerstein's portrait of the 'Sooner State' as is imaginable. Maybe even to Kansas City where, as the song goes, everything is up to date.

Silver plays an introduction to the opening track on a Native American Flute - more about the instrument can be found HERE. The sound is quite plaintive and vaguely like that of a treble or tenor recorder. The reason for her choice of instrument is particularly  interesting.

Oklahoma was based on a 1931 play Green Grow the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs. Although the two productions had similarities, Hammerstein opted not to acknowledge the Native American content in the earlier production so Silver decided to make amends.

I think she succeeded. Lance

Oklahoma; Many's a New Day; Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'; I Cain't Say no; The Surrey With the Fringe on Top; Out of my Dreams; People Will Say We're in Love; Kansas City; Boys and Girls Like You and me*; Oklahoma (reprise)

*Cut from actual show.

Release date is October 6 on Messy House Records.

1 comment :

Ann Alex said...

Anyone who plays a wind instrument should click on the HERE as the link gives a fascinating insight into this instrument which does indeed sound like a breathy recorder. As a tin whistle player I'd love to have a try at this instrument which has a lovely haunting sound.

Blog Archive