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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.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

CD Review:Wolfgang Muthspiel - Driftwood

Wolfgang Muthspiel (guitar); Larry Grenadier (double bass); Brian Blade (drums).
(Review by Hugh Cochrane)
Driftwood, the début CD for ECM as leader from Wolfgang Muthspiel, comes with full jazz credentials and features Larry Grenadier on bass and Brian Blade on drums. This album is the first time that these three musicians have come together as a trio, but Muthspiel has played with each of the other members of the triumvirate individually over many years.
Muthspiel, Austrian by birth, is schooled in both the classical and jazz guitar traditions and as well as his jazz projects, writes for contemporary classical music ensembles. On this disc he plays both acoustic and electric instruments. The disc, recorded in Oslo, is very much in the ECM landscape, and indeed Muthspiel was thinking about Manfred Eicher's sound aesthetic when composing for the album.
The disc has eight tracks, coming in at just over 43 minutes in total. After the darkly melodic first track, Joseph (after fellow Austrian Joe Zawinul) comes the upbeat Uptown. The moody Cambiata follows – it almost feels like we have entered the deserted set of a Western. The tempo hots up again in Highline, with some beautiful bowed bass from Larry Grenadier. The title track, Driftwood, follows - this is a free improvisation with Muthspiel on acoustic guitar. Lichtzelle is a free spirited duet between Muthspiel on electric and Blade on percussion – composed on the spot as Blade had never heard the piece before. Madame Vonn is a ballad composed by Muthspiel for the olympic skier Lindsey Vonn following a terrible crash in a race. The final track Bossa for Michael Brecker is a tribute to the late saxophonist's playing style, much admired by Muthspiel.
The overall feel of this disc is deeply atmospheric, in line with the ECM style and the moody packaging of the product. The subtlety of interplay between the three musicians is very evident. This would be a great gig in the round in Hall 2 at Sage Gateshead (Ros Rigby take note!).
There are plans for a European tour next year by the Dino Saluzzi group. To hear Wolfgang Muthspiel, however, it will be necessary to travel to Australia at the beginning of the forthcoming antipodean spring – shame, eh?
Hugh C.
ECM. Catalogue No. 375 6400 now available.

1 comment :

Russell said...

Yes, it would have been nice to hear Muthspiel in the UK.

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