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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!

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'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.

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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, September 12, 2009

MJQ (Michael Janisch Quintet) @ Live Theatre, Newcastle.

Michael Janisch (bs/bsgtr), Paul Booth (ten/alt), Jason Palmer (tpt/flug), Jim Hart (vbs), Clarence Penn (dms).
This has been quite a week for live jazz and, with Scarborough on the horizon, it looks set to continue. Tonight there was even a choice! Andy Shephard was 50 miles away out west at Lanercost Priory and it did look very tempting. However, the Michael Janisch Quintet were at Live Theatre - a mere 7 miles from where I hang my hat so MJQ won the day.
The Live Theatre gig, the first of Jazz Northeast's Autumn Program drew a reasonable crowd and I don't think they were disappointed. I certainly wasn't.
This was an imaginative program of mainly original pieces by Janisch, "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" and Strayhorn's "Bloodcount" being the two exceptions. "Lost Creek", for me, stood out amongst the originals although all were impressive; a Mingus inspired piece showing where Michael's bass technique came from. As well as playing mighty fine bass he introduced each number with humour and informative content.
LIAMST was a showcase for the U.K.'s Jim Hart whose 4 mallet technique is something special - he himself is something very special - I can't recall hearing a better vibist.
"Bloodcount"; evocative and delicate. Drawing the harmonic properties to the forefront.
Paul Booth, the only other non American and originally from Durham, lost nothing by comparision with his world class colleagues and he blew up the proverbial storm. His saxual prowess is awesome and, as the guy who sold him his first sax, I feel a kind of a paternal pride in his achievements.
Trumpeter Jason Palmer has quickly become one of the most in demand jazz musicians of his generation. The June 2007 issue of Downbeat Magazine cited Jason as one of the Top 25 trumpeters of the Future - I'd reduce that figure considerably. Tonight, Jason Palmer played some exciting stuff reminiscent at times of Miles or Lee Morgan.
Drummer Penn from NYC also excelled. Penn is another widely sort after player and tonight we knew why. He kicked!
Chatting with Paul Booth during the interval he asked if I was going to Scarborough informing me that he's playing with four different bands at the Festival - including MJQ so, on tonight's performance, take my word for it, Scarborough is the place to be next weekend.
Lance.

5 comments :

Russell said...

Hi Lance

Another great gig here in the north east. I agree that ''Lost Creek'' with Paul Booth's contribution was a highlight. The M Base tune in the second set was another highlight, as was Strayhorn's ''Blood Count''. Live Theatre is certainly one of the better venues in which to hear jazz and Michael Janisch seemed to like it a lot.

Russell

Russell said...

Hi Lance

The ''slide show'' is excellent. The black and white images are particularly effective; those of Paul Booth and Jason Palmer ''sitting out'', as it were, the one of Janisch and Palmer is tremendous. There's a hard - back coffee table book of jazz photography in there somewhere!

Russell

Lance said...

I think William Claxton got there first!

Jim said...

Greetings Lance,
The stunning skills of MJQ are awesome. The sheer beauty of Blood Count confirmed this for me.
Well done Jazz North East and all who made this gig possible.
Jim.

Adrian T said...

Sorry I had to miss the gig - I'm going to try and get to Scarborough for the Friday concert. Just wanted to say that your photos of the band are excellent, great atmosphere - well done.

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