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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Zoe Gilby Quintet - Splinter @ The Bridge and elsewhere.

Zoe Gilby (vcl); Mark Williams (gtr); Andy Champion (bs); Noel Dennis (tpt/flg); Richard Browns (dms).
Zoe never fails to delight even though the material is becoming a little familiar. In this case, familiarity didn't breed contempt! Rather it saw the performance grow and the compositions expand. with new variations.
The Windmills of Your Mind seguing into The Waters of March was a typical example. of the current Z book.
I'm Always Drunk in San Francisco, emotively put over by Zoe, had a Dennis solo on flugel horn that was as cool as a 3 day refrigerated cucumber.
Joni Mitchell's The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines is fast becoming staple fare in the repertoire and I must confess it is arguably my all time favourite title of any song!
In The Warm Room - a Kate Bush tune done as a voice/guitar duo with Mark - was breathtakingly beautiful. Mark was still on the creative roll from Thursday and Richard Brown too stayed on for the ride. As for Andy Champion...
Can't list 'em all but Ode To Billie Jo has to be included. I've loved this song and it's lyric since I first heard Bobbie Gentry do it. Tallahatchie Bridge and Choctaw Ridge - man I want to be up there looking down into the muddy waters! Instrumental versions by Mike Carr/Tony Crombie as well as the Buddy Rich Band sustained me over the years but it took Zoe to bring it all together. (Does anyone know what went on there up on Choctaw Ridge?)
So much more but, you've got the picture, make sure you catch Zoe's Band next time.round.
Earlier, I'd looked in at Jazz Café but nothing much was happening apart from a delightful Carol Kidd clip on screen. so I headed to The Bridge only to be be sucked into a jazz session at the Head of Steam in the form of solo piano by Paul Taylor. Paul, a young man of undisputed talent, meandered through an original composition that was going when I arrived and still going when I left 20 minutes later!
There was a jam session to follow by members of NUJO at 9:00pm. Watch this space.
Photos.
Lance.

2 comments :

Paul said...

Thanks for your qualified praise. I would just like to make two points:
1. Sunday night jazz at the Head of Steam is still very much in its infancy; last week was only the second gig, so the audience was somewhat sparse. Therefore, I decided to continue with my playing throughout rather than having several shorter pieces and pausing regularly for a potentially embarrassingly scant smattering of applause.
2. To be honest, I'm still not sure how the Head of Steam intends to pitch this event: is it a laid back Sunday evening "chill out" with music being a tasteful background to subdued conversation? Or is it a bona-fide jazz gig in which the undivided attention of the audience is both courted and expected? These slight misgivings may have been detected and reflected in the "meandering" quality of the music described. However, I've a feeling that once the event has gained momentum and found a niche, confidence levels on behalf of the venue and performers will have increased.
The Head of Steam is considering moving the night to Tuesday to avoid competition with Splinter at the Bridge and the Jazz Cafe Jam. However, for the moment, I'll be playing every Sunday evening from 6.30PM to 9PM. It is a worthwhile night which deserves support. Entry is free, but, alas, the beer is not.
www.myspace.com/paultaylorx

Paul said...

I will playing again at the HofS 6.30pm to 9pm Sun 6th November. Wilbur's Fate playing after..

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