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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.

Friday, January 15, 2016

CD Review: Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia – The Last Fandango

Barbara Thompson – saxophone; Jon Hiseman – drums; Peter Lemer – keyboards; Billy Thompson – violin; Dave “Taif” Ball – Bass. + Shona Brown – Flute; Apollo Saxophone Quartet and Rachel Calaminus – violin and viola.
(Review by Hugh C.)
As regular listeners to Jazz Record Requests on BBC Radio 3 may have heard, one of my first introductions to jazz in my student years was Barbara Thompson and Paraphernalia.  I was delighted to find, then, that a new album has just been released.
Jazz lovers may be aware that Barbara Thompson was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1997.  She announced the first of several “farewell” tours in 2001.  Every three years or so as her condition deteriorated she thought she would not be able to go on, but with the continuing help of new medications and her dedicated team of carers she somehow continued writing and playing. 
The Last Fandango has been some ten years in the making and was recorded and mixed in Spring/Summer 2014 at Temple Music Studio.  The name (derived from the title of the fourth track) hints at the reality that this CD release may be last from Barbara Thompson as no real fix is in sight for her Parkinson's disease.
The CD comes in at just under 60 minutes and is vintage Paraphernalia and Barbara Thompson.  The line-up on the CD is the same as that on the Live'05 DVD - which was received to much acclaim.  Straitlaced and The Magic Carpet both have a Middle-Eastern quality with Barbara's signature saxophone style to the fore in the first track.  Jon Hiseman and Dave Ball provide a rhythmic introduction on the second track.  The agile violin playing of Billy Thompson (no relation) weaves through the whole album.  Bulletproof follows and is driven by Hiseman's rhythmic powerhouse, aided and abetted by Lemer on piano.  The track has a filmic quality and brings to mind the kind of vintage cop shows that can be viewed on selected TV channels.  The Last Fandango does what it says on the tin. 
Saxey demonstrates the versatile talents of the Apollo Saxophone Quartet – long-time collaborators with Barbara Thompson.  One for the Road features the flute playing of Shona Brown, together with a fine bass riff by Dave Ball against Billy Thompson's violin.  Spring Fever brings some Caribbean sunshine with an up-tempo dance rhythm (roll on Spring!).  The Smooch slows it down again – as might be expected.  Satsuma is a tasty little number, composed by Peter Lemer – all other compositions are by Barbara Thompson (Peter joined Barbara Thompson in the composition of Saxey) - and freshens the musical palate before the dessert.  The anthemic track The Unseen Way provides a fitting finale to the whole.  The CD insert features a gallery of individual and band photographs over the years.
As Jon Heisman says “there is sadly no prospect of a tour to promote the album, we are relying on word of mouth to help spread the word”.  The only way you will hear this music is to buy the CD!
The Last Fandango is available now from Temple Music (http://www.temple-music.com/new-album-from-barbara-thompsons-paraphernalia/ ) for the very reasonable price of £10.99 plus delivery.
Hugh

2 comments :

Jude Murphy (on F/b) said...

So exciting! Great to see she's still playing

Rachel said...

Looking forward to hearing the CD. Great review btw

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