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Bebop Spoken There

Orrin Evans: “Now, getting a teaching spot is the new record deal”. (DownBeat, November, 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

17487 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far, 66 this month (Oct. 30).

From This Moment On ...

November

Fri 01: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ The Village Hotel, North Tyneside. 12 noon. Day 1/3. SOLD OUT!
Fri 01: Will Howard Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 01: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 01: Louis, Louis, Louis @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.

Sat 02: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ The Village Hotel, North Tyneside. 12 noon. Day 2/3. SOLD OUT!
Sat 02: Red Stripe @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 02: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. ‘Bebop Language by Barry Harris.’. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 02: Guy Davis @ The Witham, 3 Horse Market, Barnard Castle, DL12 8LY. &:30pm. £18-£20. Legendary American blues artist.
Sat 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 03: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ The Village Hotel, North Tyneside. 12 noon. Day 3/3. SOLD OUT!
Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm (12:30pm doors). £7.50.
Sun 03: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, John Bradford.
Sun 03: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free. Rescheduled date from Sunday 27 October.
Sun 03: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 03: Leeway @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 03: Hi Res Heart @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Pyne/Archer/Keefe/Bardon. JNE.

Mon 04: Enrico Tomasso/Cia Tomasso/Curtis Volp @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Mon 04: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Square, Whitley Road, Palmersville, Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1.00pm. Free.
Mon 04: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

Tue 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval NE25 0AT. 12:30pm. £12.00. ‘Guy Fawkes Steak & Ale Pie & Pea Lunch’. To book tel: 0191 237 3697.
Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 06: The Horne Section’s Hit Show @ Tyne Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 07: Jazz Appreciation North East/Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. ‘George - named musicians, vocalists & composers (Chisholm, Duke, Lewis, Shearing, Benson, Melly, Gershwin et al)’.
Thu 07: Aki Remally: The Gil Scott-Heron Songbook @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Remally (guitar, vocals); Fraser Urquhart (piano); Tom Wilkinson (bass); Max Popp (drums).
Thu 07: Rat Pack Live @ Whitley Bay Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. 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

Monday, September 30, 2024

Album review: Micah Thomas - Mountains (Artwork Records)

Micah Thomas (piano); Adam O'Farrill (trumpet); Immanuel Wilkins (alto sax); Nicole Glover (tenor sax); Caleb Smith (trombone); Kanoa Mendenhall (bass); Kweku Sumbry (drums)

Recorded live at NYC's Jazz Gallery over two nights in June 2023, Mountains is Thomas' attempt to evoke the grandeur and diversity of the natural landscapes represented on the album.

Not being familiar with these particular landscapes nor able to relate them to the titles I cannot comment as to how successful he's been. 

However, treating the music purely on a contemporary jazz basis it's interesting and original. The changing moods and tempos captured my attention albeit with a bit of a struggle. This is personified in Libre which it most certainly is. As the personnel shows there are some big names aboard, including the leader and they've collectively and individually produced some thought-provoking moments that are worth checking out.

If Mingus had still been with us he may well have been working the same side of the street although not necessary on the same block.

Although it's not really my cup of cocoa there are moments of beauty, particularly in the themes which are harmonically and melodically rich but when the arsonists moved into the pet shop I moved out.

In fairness when reviewing it's a case of horses for courses and I should really have saddled someone who's more forward thinking than myself - just can't get the staff. Lance

Life; Processing; Lament; Libre; No Answer; Hide; The Mountain; Nomad; Collapse; Encounter; Through; Coda.

2 comments :

Andrey Henkin said...

Adam O'Farrill's name is misspelled in the top credits.

Lance said...

Thank you Audrey, now corrected.

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