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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Sun 22: Hot Club du Nord @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £15.00. + bf. Xmas party. SOLD OUT!
Sun 22: Red Kites Jazz @ Gibside Chapel, nr. Rowlands Gill. 1:00pm. Admission charge applies.
Sun 22: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 22: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Revolutionaires @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb rhythm & blues outfit.
Sun 22: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger & Mark Robertson @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Line-up TBC.
Sun 22: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music (musicians TBC).
Sun 22: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Zerox, Sandhill, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).

Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 23: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 4:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Mon 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. TBC.
Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Album review: Rebecca Kilgore - A Little Taste (Cherry Pie Records)

Rebecca Kilgore (vocal); Tim Jensen (piccolo, flute); Dick Titterington (trumpet, flugelhorn); John Moak/Dan Barrett (trombone); Randy Porter (piano); Tom Wakeling (bass); Todd Strait (drums) Nelly Kovalev, Lucia Atkinson (violins); Hillary Oseas (viola); Hamilton Cheifetz (cello)

There's good news and bad news with this long awaited album from Portland, Oregon, singer Rebecca Kilgore. The good news is that this recording is as good as, or maybe even better, than her previous fifty-plus. 'Becky' has such a beautiful voice, tailor-made for interpreting Dave Frishberg's clever lyrics. A tribute by one 'great' to another.

So what, I hear you ask, is the bad news? Well let me tell you it is very bad news indeed. Earlier this year she was diagnosed as having Dementia with Lewy Bodies and, as such, has had to withdraw from performing and recording. To Becky this must have been like losing an arm or a leg. The only consolation being that, with this album, she's going out on a high.

A Little Taste, co-written by Frishberg and Johnny Hodges, has flute by Jenson and trombone by Moak to complement the perky vocal.
Our Love Rolls on has Becky and the rhythm section doing justice to another fine Frishberg (words and music) opus.
Peel me a Grape, perhaps the most widely covered of all Frishberg's songs has a terrific accompaniment by the string quartet that puts the other cover versions in their place.
Little Did I Dream, one of three collaborations with Johnny Mandel, has Dan Barrett taking a tasty trombone solo. As on all of the tracks, Becky gets to the heart of the lyric.
Heart's Desire, this time Alan Broadbent provides the music to Dave's words with the string quartet happily sawing away alongside the rhythm section.
Snowbound. Frishberg composed both words and music for this one. It's an update on Baby It's Cold Outside. The big difference between the songs is that on this one the lady doesn't protest! Solos from piano and flute.
Brenda Starr. The second of the Frishberg/Mandel collaborations is about an ace reporter who's always first on the scene when a story breaks. Barrett's trombone solo also grabs the headlines.
Telephone Song. The flugel solo is by Becky's husband Dick Titterington and the song is one of only two on the album that wasn't composed by Frishberg. Norman Gimbel and Roberto Menescal were the original perps.
Ah, So Pure came from Flotow's opera Martha that I once saw performed by Hebburn Amateur Operatic Society back in the day when I was still in short pants. Happier memories are of hearing it on record by Connee Boswell with the Bob Crosby band. Becky Kilgore wisely goes with the Boswell version. Fine piano and some Dixie style trombone from Barrett.
You Are There and it's the Frishberg/Mandel team back, Becky again gets right into it with hubby Dick blowing flugel.
Eastwood Lane, by Frishberg and Dan Barrett, and it's Barrett on trombone and Porter on piano who help bring this rather wonderful album to a close. The last time I'll hear Rebecca Kilgore. A poignant moment. 

Although it isn't actually released until October the title track is available now as a single and can be heard HERE. Lance

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