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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Sunday, May 04, 2014

CD Review:Mike McKoy - Ludwig Manhattan's Germaican Blues

Mike McKoy (narrator, vocals, guitars); Toni Belenguer (trombone); Vicent Coloques (keys); Matt Baker (bass); Ignacio Aguilar (didgeridoo/harmonica).
Let me say first of all that this is the most unusual work I've ever had to review! I'm not quite sure where to begin except to say that, whichever category it is allotted to it will be unbeatable!
Confused? I bet you are! Brilliant? You're darn right! So, let's have the Alfie (What's it all about?)
Imagine an all encompassing work that contains The Bible, The Decameron, Plato, Noel Coward, Charlie Mingus and a whole gang more of musicians, writers, philosophers and ladies of the night!
This is a book with CD that tells the story of one Ludwig Balmoral Manhattan - a Germaican (German mother, Jamaican father.) and his journey of discovery from Bavarian beers, expulsion from church for wearing a colourful hat to his meeting with Jesus (or is it Satan?) that leads him to become an irresistibly attractive partner of a madame in a bordello as well as a drug dealer and a pimp before eventually finding himself. Well that is my interpretation but it is a story that leaves itself open for the listener to decide.
McKoy narrates the action, he also sings in an appealing - if Noel Coward had been a jazzman - voice and plays pleasant rhythmic guitar.
Belenguer blows some lusty trombone that brings to mind Jimmy Knepper with Mingus and Iguilar adds blues harmonica and didgeridoo sounds.
The lyrics are magnificent:
(From The World's a Loveless Toilet)
Yes, the world's a loveless toilet
A cistern for sewage and slush
When it's quite replete
Wash your hands and lower the seat
And for goodness sake
Don't forget to flush!
Eat your heart out Cole Porter!
Dave Gelly, in his introduction, describes the music as "Real songs" with real tunes which you could, if you were so minded, whistle while walking down the street - a phenomenon so rare these days as to be almost revolutionary! I'll go along with that. 
The CD comes with book (and I mean book - not the usual 20-20 vision demanding booklet that comes with most CDs!) containing narrativeartwork and lyrics in both English and Spanish.
Lance.

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