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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.

Monday, November 08, 2010

Free Thinker: Soweto Kinch - Freedom: A Guide To Listening. The Sage, Nov. 7 - Review by Harley Johnson

Rana Mitter (Radio Presenter/Professor), Soweto Kinch (Speaker/Alto Saxophone) On my way to the Jazz Cafe Jam Session and subsequently the Ingrid Laubrock gig at the Bridge Hotel, I called into the Sage Gateshead for a large cappuccino and a 'free' discussion/lecture by Jazz Saxophonist/Composer/Rapper Soweto Kinch.
Joining Soweto was the BBC Radio 3 Presenter of the programme 'Night Waves' and Professor of the History of Modern China at Oxford University, Rana Mitter.
There was a fairly large crowd present in Hall Two and I couldn't help but notice a table on stage with an alto saxophone placed on top. Was this going to be a lecture and discussion through music rather than words?
Before the session commenced, Rana informed the audience that this would be recorded and broadcasted on Radio 3's 'Night Waves' in the near future. We also had a practice run of Rana's hand gesture for applauding to make this broadcast sound conventional. We welcomed Soweto with a massive applause and, instead of moving towards the saxophone, it was to his notes on the relationship between music and emancipation.
He would, however, pick up the saxophone when he began talking about the blues and how it changed over the years in coherence to the black man's civil rights in America. Soweto first played a blues from the Duke Ellington Orchestra, before moving onto the bebop era and began playing Charlie Parker's 'Now's The Time' with a short but elegant solo.
Although this was all we heard from Soweto's alto, there were some musical intervals in between his speech; again relating to the civil rights: including Sonny Rollins 'Freedom Suite', Max Roach 'We Insist - Freedom Now' and Charles Mingus 'Fables of Faubus'.
Jazz wasn't the only thing on the menu! There were also clips from English punk band 'The Clash' and The Specials 'Ghost Town' in relation to the radical poltics in the punk/rock era of the 80s. During the discussion between Soweto and Rana there was an opportunity for members of the audience to give their own views on matters which ranged from emancipation to the origins of Soweto's name and T.V. talent shows.
To sum up the event, I think we can all agree that music can still be used to portray our feelings and thoughts on the current climate of society, politics and world affairs. Or how I would also say that music should not be abused by record labels and popstars for fame and fortune.
There was no standing ovation but there may well be at the Soweto's gig at the Gateshead International Jazz Festival 2011 and will be playing songs from his new album 'The New Emancipation' which is available now.
Harley Johnson.

1 comment :

Russell said...

Good review Harley. Hearing Soweto play Jeep's Blues was great.

Russell

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