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Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 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

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

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.

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.

Monday, May 07, 2018

CD Review: The Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra - “Without A Trace”

(Review by Dave Brownlow).
This is a good example of a large, contemporary jazz orchestra where the leader, Scott Reeves, combines all the necessary elements of the successful jazz tradition ie good material, swing, creativity, talented soloists, and excitement. Reeves has been influenced by some of the great composer/arrangers such as Duke Ellington, Gil Evans, Thad Jones, and Bob Brookmeyer and has spent years honing his craft within the current scene writing for groups such as Dave Liebman’s Big Band, and the Westchester Jazz Orchestra before setting out on his own in 2008.

The opener is Kurt Weill’s classic Speak Low which starts with a nod towards Bill Evans on his ‘New Jazz Conceptions’ album and settles into a lively Afro-Cuban rhythm including lively solos from Wilson on alto and Rogers on trumpet with some closely harmonised backgrounds. Reeves own Without A Trace follows featuring singer Carolyn Leonhart. The style of this piece with its melody containing wide intervals between some of the notes is so reminiscent of the work of our own Norma Winstone in its genre. The vocal is clear, confident and graceful – I give no praise higher than that!
The standard All Or Nothing At All has drummer Vernel Fournier’s immortal groove from Ahmad Jamal’s hit Poinciana as a main rhythmic element and features the leader on slide trombone with Chiavuzzo on alto this time.
Sections here are thoughtfully orchestrated and ‘quotes’ abound.
The Reeves’ original Incandescence is languidly Impressionist in style with a beautifully apt vibes solo and a restrained contribution from Wilson on soprano extending the mood. Wayne Shorter’s JuJu has a more ‘contemporary’ feel based as it is on fewer chords. Here, the arranger includes a sax-section segment based on Shorter’s original solo. The whole piece is quite forward-thinking….
A 12-tone row is the inspiration for ShapeShifter which includes several parts throughout its eight and a half minutes. Reeves himself solos on alto flugelhorn on a ¾ section. A fast 4/4 portion with glittering piano contrasting with huge slabs of orchestral textures develops,
after chaos, into a final haunting coda – Star Trek anybody?
Finally, Reeves’ tribute to Thad Jones – Something For Thad based on I Got Rhythm changes brings the album to a cheerful, swinging, boppish, slightly more conventional, closer with Haviland and Gravish having their only solo outings.
Throughout the CD, the standard of musicianship is extremely high, there is a broad range of material carefully arranged with nods towards the history of jazz making this an altogether agreeable listen.
Available now on ORIGIN RECORDS 82752 at www.originarts.com

Dave B.
Scott Reeves: (flugel. trombone, arranger); Steve Wilson (soprano,alto,flute), Vito Chiavuzzo (alto, flute) Rob Middleton (tenor, clarinet), Tim Armacost (tenor), Terry Goss (baritone 1- 4) Jay Brandford (baritone 5 – 7 ).
Seneca Black, Nathan Ecklund, Chris Rogers, (1-4) Bill Mobley (5 – 7), Andy Gravish (trumpets).
Tim Sessions, Matt McDonald, Matt Haviland, Max Siegel (trombones).
Jim Ridl (Piano), Dave Elson (Vibes 4), Todd Coolman (Bass), Andy Watson (Drums).
 Carolyn Leonhart Vocal (2).

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