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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.

Wednesday, May 06, 2015

CD Review: Partikel – String Theory

Duncan Eagles – saxophones; Max Luthert – bass; Eric Ford – drums - with Benet McLean, David LePage – violin; Carmen Flores – viola and Matthew Sharp – cello.
(Review by Hugh)
It is often said that one should not judge a book by its cover – well, in this case a reviewer should not judge a CD by its first 10 seconds!  The first track on String Theory  - Clash of the Clans (Part 1) commences with a burst of scraping horse hair on steel.  This soon gives way to more conventional jazz music with a definite groove. 

Partikel are a London – based trio who have been making a name for themselves on the European scene for the last few years.  String Theory is their third release and differs from the previous two releases, which were the product of preparatory rehearsing and fine tuning of arrangements before recording.  In the words of Duncan Eagles “with this album [String Theory] the charts I wrote for the trio were purposefully more open and melodic than previous material and the arrangements were developed through touring with the band – rather than all the rehearsing – which I think gives the trio performance on this album a more natural and spontaneous dynamic”.
This comes through on the recording.  The first track is one of three parts, followed by Part 2 Seeking Shadows and Part 3 Midnight Mass. 
Eagles wanted the string quartet to be as involved as possible and for the two ensembles to interact and improvise together.  This is borne out in Shimmer, where the two ensembles appear to chase each other.  Introduction to the Buffalo (naturally) precedes The Buffalo – the former is performed  purely by the string quartet, seguing effortlessly into  
the latter where the two ensembles rejoin.  Eric Ford's Tabla adds an exotic feel to this track and several others and strings have an almost gypsy quality at times.  Next we are back on jazz mainstreet with Bartering for Bob.  Shimmering strings introduce The River, with Eagles' soprano soaring over the surface, hovering for a while and then following the flow.  We end up on Wray Common (no, I don't know either – local connection, I presume!).  Matthew Sharp's cello introduces Body and Soul (by Johnny Green) – this is the only track (other than Introduction to the Buffalo) which is not composed by Duncan Eagles.  Cover ups the tempo again with the trio powered along by Ford's driving percussion.  The quartet get a rest on this track.  The opening of The Landing is evocative of the wider  universe (perhaps something to do with the album title?) and the track has a filmic quality with definite plot progression, the listener will make up their own mind as to where it's going.

Partikel's String Theory will be released by Whirlwind Records (catalogue WR4671) on 11 May 2015.  The band are touring from 28th May with an album launch at Pizza Express on 2 June.  None of the dates listed on the information sheet with the album are north of Bungay as far as I can see.  I guess we will have to wait and see if the band pluck up courage and venture over the border!
Hugh.

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