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Bebop Spoken There

Howlin' Wolf: “He [Charlie Patton] was a nice guy, but he just loved the bottle--like all the rest of the musicians. He was a great drinker.” – (DownBeat December 16, 1967).

Frank Zappa: “Those kids [US students] wouldn't know music if it came up and bit 'em on the ass.” – (DownBeat October 3, 1969).

Today Thursday April 26

Afternoon

Vieux Carré Jazzmen - Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone NE27 0DA. Tel: 266 6173. 1:00pm. Free.

Tees Valley Jazzmen - No.1 Market Place, Bishop Auckland DL12 7NJ. Tel: 01388 665533. 12:30pm. Free admission.

Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society - Gateshead Central Library, Prince Consort Road, Gateshead NE8 4LN. 5:00pm. Fortnightly meetings, all welcome.

Evening

Strictly Smokin’ Big Band - Millstone, Haddrick’s Mill Road, South Gosforth, Newcastle NE3 1QL. 0191 2853229. 7pm.

Maine St. Jazzmen - Sunniside Social Club, Holywell Lane, Sunniside, Gateshead NE16 5NJ. 8:30pm. Free.

Bearpark Trio - Jazz Café, 25 Pink Lane, Newcastle NE1 5DW. 8pm. £3 (£2 student/MU.).

New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band - Oxbridge, Oxbridge Lane, Stockton on Tees TS18 4AW. 8:30pm.

Tees Hot Club w. Kevin Eland (tpt); Donna Hewitt (sax); Graham Thompson (keys) - Dorman’s Club, Oxford Road, Middlesbrough TS5 5DT. Tel: 01642 823813. 9pm. Free.

To the best of our knowledge, details of the above events are correct but may be subject to alteration.

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.
at

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Submissions for review

Whilst we appreciate the many emails, texts, messages and other communications we receive requesting album/gig reviews on BSH, regrettably, we are unable to reply to them all other than those we are able to answer with a positive response.
Similarly, CDs received by post will only be considered if accompanied by sufficient background material.
Finally, bear in mind that this is a jazz-based site when submitting your album.
Lance

About this blog - contact details.

Bebop Spoken Here -- Here, being the north-east of England -- centred in the blues heartland of Newcastle and reaching down to the Tees Delta and looking upwards to the Land of the Kilt.
Not a very original title, I know; not even an accurate one as my taste, whilst centred around the music of Bird and Diz, extends in many directions and I listen to everything from King Oliver to Chick Corea and beyond. Not forgetting the Great American Songbook the contents of which has provided the inspiration for much great jazz and quality popular singing for round about a century.
The idea of this blog is for you to share your thoughts and pass on your comments on discs, gigs, jazz - music in general. If you've been to a gig/concert or heard a CD that knocked you sideways please share your views with us. Tell us about your favourites, your memories, your dislikes.
Lance (Who wishes it to be known that he is not responsible for postings other than his own and that he's not always responsible for them.)
Contact: lanceliddle@gmail.com I look forward to hearing from you.

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