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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.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

The Julian Costello Quartet @ The Globe: October 7

Julian Costello (ten, sop saxes); Maciek Pysz (guitar); Michele Tacchi (bass guitar);  Adam Teixeira (drums).
(Review by Ann Alex/Photo courtesy of Dave Parker)
I didn’t know what to expect, as the sax player and guitarist had taken an excellent workshop at the Sage in the afternoon, mostly based on Miles Davis’s Flamenco Sketches, with us doing melodies based on modes, heady stuff. What we got in the evening is what I’d describe as ‘International Jazz’.
Tunes with influences from Poland, the East, martial drum beats, J S Bach-like guitar melodies, and titles such as Panettone, Walking Through The Jungle, Halloumi (Julian is addicted to this, or so he said).This was all thoroughly enjoyable, played to an appreciative audience, and I can’t wait for the band’s next visit.
The first set consisted of one long composite tune(s) and a shorter number - Walking Through The Jungle. It all began with a blast on the tenor, ambient sounds from the others, mallets on drums, electronics from the 7 small different coloured boxes lying beside the guitar, then a tune arose from the sound, a Latin beat, a groove, tenor solo, quick change to soprano, a drone from somewhere, then behold!, we were led in clapping the rhythm by the band. I’ve maybe made it all sound chaotic, but it all hung together beautifully. So readers will have gathered that this was no ‘play the head, solos all round, head again to finish’ job, but an interesting performance with quite a bit of humour as well, such as when the drummer blew up a balloon, Julian danced enthusiastically on the spot whilst playing, and Maciek and Julian had a mock fight, pretending to hit each other. There were many false endings to keep the audience guessing, such fun. The second tune sounded a bit more conventional, although it featured the drums especially, solos all round, and a rather sudden ending to contrast with the false endings that we were getting used to.

The second set comprised five tunes, and the first was a totally unspellable Polish tune, tenor led, drumsticks on cymbals, and the two guitars complementing each other, with hints of J S Bach. Indeed I think Bach would have enjoyed the whole gig. Panettone included martial drums, and Julian told us how another band member, who comes from Moscow, had complained about Putin. Putin had his revenge for that story as there was crackling on the guitar during the tune. Fruity was lively, boppy, with elements of rock music. Halloumi sounded Spanish, then became Eastern, as if the sax was charming snakes.  The final tune, The Cost Of Living, was cooler, calmer, a tune far lovelier than the title would seem to indicate.
What a satisfying evening of Jazz!
Ann Alex

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