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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, October 22, 2017

CD Review: Michael Messer’s Mitra - Call of the Blues

Michael Messer (guitar & vocals), Manish Pingle (Mohan veena) & Gurdain Rayatt (tabla) + Richard Causon (piano & organ)
(Review by Russell)
British bluesman Michael Messer has played in numerous line-ups during a thirty plus year career.   
In 2013 Messer was invited to perform at a festival in Mumbai. It was during his visit he met Manish Pingle. They jammed together and Messer resolved that one day they would perform together on a stage in front of an audience. Messer recruited London-based Gurdain Rayatt and, in September of that year, the trio played a gig at the Troubadour Club in London. Mitra was born.
Call of the Blues opens with the first of two songs written by Mississippi Fred McDowell. You Got to Move will be familiar to blues fans and, on first hearing, suggests the CD’s ten tracks will more than likely be comprised of readily identifiable American country blues. And, to a degree, this is the case with Michael Messer’s slide and lap steel guitars prominent in the mix. Delta bluesmen, South Side  Chicago blues, Americana – they’re all present on this album recorded in April 2015. The thing that sets this album apart is Messer’s dream project of working with classical Hindustani musicians.

Manish Pingle plays the Mohan veena, an Indian string instrument similar to Messer’s slide guitars, and Gurdain Rayatt is regarded as one of his generation’s foremost tabla players. Call of the Blues seeks to integrate Eastern and Western musical cultures. The extent to which this aim succeeds is, perhaps, down to the ears of the listener. Two Muddy Waters’ classics – Rollin’ and Tumblin’ and I Cant’ be Satisfied are inescapably the blues. Pingle and Rayatt were largely unfamiliar with Messer and his country blues repertoire and it is to their credit that they quickly assimilated the form prior to going into the recording studio. Bhupali Blues is listed as ‘Trad. Raga arranged by Messer, Pingle, Rayatt’. This is Messer gaining insight to the Eastern, Hindustani musical form – the tables turned!

JJ Cale’s Anyway the Wind Blows veers into Americana territory with the trio once again acquitting themselves – Cale’s laid back beat appears to be to the liking of all concerned. Sweetheart Darling closes the album (playing time a little over 53 minutes). Michael Messer’s Mitra is currently touring  and the itinerary includes an appearance this Friday (October 27) at Newcastle’s Jazz Café.               
Russell           
Call of the Blues by Michael Messer’s Mitra is available on Knife Edge Records (KER CD001). 

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