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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.

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Francis Tulip Quartet @ The Jazz Café - Dec 22

Francis Tulip (guitar), Joel Brown (keyboards), Michael Dunlop (bass) & Matt MacKellar (drums)
(Review by Russell)
Cut and paste Wednesday’s Durham Empty Shop gig, job done. All too easy, the Francis Tulip Quartet is a developing project and considering the four musicians meet up infrequently it is all the more remarkable that they are able to produce a performance as good as this. Wednesday was good, this Friday evening Jazz Café gig was better still. And there is more to come…
 The setlist was much the same in much the same order and no bad thing as it offered a simple opportunity to compare and contrast. The quartet – Francis, Joel, Michael and Matt – got down to business long before the audience arrived, running through their set list, topping and tailing a few tunes, making sure everything was sorted in advance of the advertised start time.

Stablemates, Purim, Body and Soul, yes, Durham revisited. The playing seemed more assured, no surprise given that playing gigs is key. Imagine if they had gigs on December 23, 24, 25, 26, and on, the phrase ‘well-oiled’ springs to mind. And the Francis Tulip Quartet is just that, four of the most promising young musicians to emerge on the northeast jazz scene in years and it’s as if they’re seasoned pros. Alone Together (comp. Arthur Schwartz/lyrics Howard Dietz) served to demonstrate their appreciation of a GASbook classic, sitting quite comfortably alongside a more contemporary number such as Chick Corea’s 500 Miles High, the closing number of an excellent first set.

Wayne Shorter’s Yes or No opened the second set featuring drummer Matt MacKellar’s sparkling solo followed by another chance to hear Gilad Hekselman’s March of the Sad Ones. Pianist Joel Brown shone on Joe Henderson’s Black Narcissus, as did bandleader Tulip, and Guildhall student, bassist Michael Dunlop. Monk’s In Walked Bud featured yet more great playing centred around an extended exchange of fours. Christian McBride’s Interlude once again took its place in the set list with guitarist Tulip mightily impressive as was MacKellar with his hi-hat working overtime. As last bus time approached Tulip said they would end on something Christmassy. Matt MacKellar picked up his brushes as the quartet went out on a fine arrangement of Silent Night. The Jazz Café Friday night audience wanted more and they got it with another superb, blistering take on John Coltrane’s Impressions. The Francis Tulip Quartet will resume its tour itinerary on Tuesday 9th January at the Fox Inn on West End Terrace, Hexham. Arrive in good time, the first set will get underway at eight thirty. Highly recommended.   
Russell

1 comment :

Steve T said...

Francis had been talking about doing a free improvisational thing so that's what I thought we were going to get, until hints of Impressions began seeping through, delivering one of those Joy and Pain/ Nickel and Nail/ Lucky Fellow moments.
I get that they don't want an assumption to evolve where people expect them to do it every time, but this was the best one yet. Extraordinary.

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