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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Paul Edis’ Improvisation & Ear Training Workshop @ The Lit & Phil. September 24

(Review by Russell).
Stormy Weather felled Autumn Leaves. Hatches battened, this was Key Largo writ large but Gumshoe Bebop was determined to spend some shoe leather in pursuit of Improvisational Enlightenment.
In Toon, t-shirts and mini skirts defied stair rods, seeking shelter in the next nearest gin joint, then the next. Up ahead, on the corner of Collingwood and Westgate, the Lit & Phil’s lamplight looked so inviting (in the Gallery of Imaginary Bebop Art there is a little known Edward Hopper streetscape depicting the façade of this inner-city seat of learning and self-improvement. If you haven’t seen it, it’s the one with oddball characters entering and exiting the building: the steam train buff, the U3A student, the über-cool chanteuse).
Inside, a coffee pot struck up conversation with life-long friends and made new acquaintance. Pianist and educator Paul Edis chatted with the keen and the curious and the drenched ahead of his Improvisation & Ear Training workshop. Dr Edis had prepared well. Laptop, notes, hand-outs – all were at hand. A piano made for the elephant in the room. The workshop didn’t start on time. Or maybe it did. It depends who counts it in. Edis did (he is a jazz musician).
Improvisers, would-be improvisers and the curious (Gumshoe Bebop) assembled in numbers many a promoter would be delighted to see at a gig - classical musicians (there were admissions of bafflement about the Misterioso world of improvisation), folkies and rockers. The jazz scene was represented – Debra and Gabi, Mike and Ruairidh. Edis said he would like to begin by talking about intervals. Gumshoe Bebop thought to himself: We’ve only just started. Much talk of extensions and triads, flattened fifths. Edis said: Improvisation is making decisions. Gumshoe Bebop decided to listen, listen hard.
Dr Edis sat at the piano. He demonstrated the ascending melodic minor. The assembled hummed in unison. Gumshoe Bebop took notes. The Lydian scale, quarter notes, semi tones. His head began to hurt – it felt like he’d fallen over a Down Beat paving stone and had an argument with terra firma. Regaining his senses he heard a familiar sound..So What brought him round.
The interval – the kind understood by Gumshoe Bebop – offered the welcome prospect of a refill and a chat. The assembled assumed Gumshoe Bebop played an instrument. He found this amusing. Dr Edis resumed his deliberations. More talk of modes and scales. More notes. More music from Edis, Miles and Trane. In no time it was over. Time to step out into the night. Gumshoe Bebop decided to aquaplane home. Riding the rapids at Gallowgate, deep in thought, a discarded, shredded umbrella almost brought him down as he was preoccupied with the thought that perhaps he should take up the challenge and
buy a banjo.
The Paul Edis Trio can be heard on Thursday night (27 September) playing the music of Bill Evans at the Queen’s Hall in Hexham. The second installment of Dr Edis’ workshop series continues at the Lit & Phil on Monday 8 October. The confirmed starting time is 7:15 pm for 7:30 pm. It is free to attend. Seek it out and you may find Improvisational Enlightenment.
Russell (AKA Gunshoe Bebop).     

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