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Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 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

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

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.

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.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Mike Walker & Stuart McCallum // Paul Taylor @ The Jazz Café. June 24

(Review by Russell).
The latest in Jazz North East’s series of  Schmazz gigs at the Jazz Café featured British guitarists Mike Walker and Stuart McCallum. All seats in the upstairs room were taken (two of the north east’s finest six-stringers bagged prime seats) and the stage resembled the guitar section of your local musical instrument store. The Greater Manchester-based duo settled down to play the first of two mainly acoustic sets in a setting Walker later described as having ‘a good vibe’.
The material consisted of original compositions (a Schmazz prerequisite) and one or two standards. The opening number had an Americana feel to it, so it came as no surprise to learn it was Bill Frisell’s Where Do We Go? Walker, a man with an impressive cv – the big bands of Mike Gibbs and Kenny Wheeler, stints with Julian Arguelles and Nikki Iles, to his latest Anglo American project, the Impossible Gentlemen – shuffled a set list at will, suggesting to McCallum they do ‘Orpheus’. A change of guitar, some retuning, a bit of banter and into Luiz Bonfá’s Black Orpheus. This and the following number – All the Things You Are – exemplified Stuart McCallum’s penchant for reharmonizing tunes. Dark tones, dense improvisations, Walker picking up on McCallum’s initial foray, further solo invention, the seamless dovetailing of ideas.
A Walker composition – Wallenda’s Last Stand – inspired by the life story of a high wire walker’s final, fatal, do or die journey and McCallum’s The French Song illustrated their talents as tunesmiths. The second set heard McCallum’s Beholden and Walker’s Clock Maker. Walker introduced the latter number with a hilarious, true tale of his friend saxophonist Iain Dixon’s father’s clock making obsession. Imagine a house full of clocks – He made one every four minutes, said Walker – all primed to chime on the hour. It was Walker’s mission in life when visiting Dixon Snr to leave before the cacophonous clock chorus struck up! A distinct folk strand ran through the second set, notably McCallum’s tune inspired by a visit to the Shetlands and his authentic folk ballad Seasons. The one time student of Walker has gone on to work in a variety of contexts including a plum job with John Surman, tenure with the hip Cinematic Orchestra and work with Tim Garland’s Northern Underground Orchestra (including an appearance at the Durham Miners’ Gala a few years ago). This Schmazz gig was one for students of the guitar rather than one for the jazz guitar purist.
Earlier, pianist Paul Taylor played a solo set in the downstairs bar. The Tyneside-based Taylor developed ideas from an impressionist palette, quietly applying complementary hues to an uncluttered canvas. The audience listened intently, some seemingly holding a breath, such was the silence during a half hour improvisation.
Next month’s Schmazz concert at the Jazz Café departs from the usual last Tuesday in the month date. The double bill of Troyka and Pulcinella can be heard on Tuesday 15 July.
      
Russell.

3 comments :

Bradley Johnston (on F/b) said...

Great gig, very inspiring gig Mike!

stevebfc said...

Thoroughly enjoyable gig left the jazz cafe buzzing. Great tunes, great repartee, great music, great night.

Zoe Gilby (On Twitter). said...

An amazing night.

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