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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.

Thursday, January 28, 2016

CD Review: Gerard Presencer & the Danish Radio Big Band – Groove Travels

(Review by Russell)
Groove Travels is Gerard Presencer’s first big band album. The third of his three solo recording projects dates from 2001. An academic career and touring world wide with a number of Charlie Watts’ jazz ensembles has more than occupied the British trumpeter. Relocating to Copenhagen to work with the acclaimed Danish Radio Big Band opens a new chapter.
This Edition Records’ release comprises eight tracks (all arranged by Presencer, five of them composed by the trumpeter and three others of ‘classic’ status) recorded by Lars C Bruun at Danish Radio Studios in January 2015. Presencer has a nineteen piece band to work with plus two guest musicians – American Adam Rapa recruited as lead trumpeter and Cuban percussionist Eliel Lazo – making for a mammoth exercise. Presencer has an ace up his sleeve in having worked with the musicians for several years. Another Weirdo opens Groove Travels. We’ve all been there – sitting quietly on the bus, or in Presencer’s case, the train, minding one’s own business when the weirdo gets on and sits down in the one available seat…the one next to you. GP takes a flugel solo on this one, trumpet is his secondary instrument on this recording. The tune is a ‘groove’ vehicle, a common theme across the album. The rhythm section is given due prominence throughout, bassist Kaspar Vadsholt’s electric excursions to the fore, as is the smart drumming of Søren Frost and an eclectic mix of Fender Rhodes, Hammond and synths courtesy of Henrik Gunde.
Groove Travels references time and place; Eleanor Rigby (GP: This melody has always captured my imagination), Blues for Des (GP: This is essentially a West African rhythm …something trumpeter Woody Shaw would play), Wayne Shorter’s Footprints features tenor saxophonist Hans Ulrik, Presencer inspired by American tv cop shows and an Afro- Cuban groove in a reharmonisation of the tune. The Devil’s Larder is an exercise in the ‘shameless excess’ sometimes evident in progressive rock and the jazz big band. Gerard Presencer states: I wrote this piece for the drummer in my small band Chris Dagley. The dubious prospect of melding rock with jazz is quickly dispelled. What makes it work is the writing and playing. Presencer is well aware he has got a great band at his disposal.
Groove Travels by Gerard Presencer & the Danish Radio Big Band on Edition Records is released on January 29, available on CD EDN 1065 and LP EDN 1065.
Gerard Presencer: This recording is dedicated to the grooving memory of Chris Dagley.           
Russell.
Gerard Presencer (trumpet & flugelhorn) & 
Danish Radio Big Band
Trumpets Michael Mølhede, Christer Gustafsson, Thomas Kjaergaard, Jens Chr. Gotholdt. 
Trombones Vincent Nilsson, Steen Hansen, Anders Larson, Ola Nordquist.
Tuba & bass trombone André Jensen. 
Saxophones Nicolai Schultz, Peter Fuglsang, Pelle Fridell, Hans Ulrik Jensen, Karl-Martin Almqvist, Anders Gaardmand. 
Guitar Per Gade. 
Double bass & electric bass Kaspar Vadsholt. 
Drums Søren Frost.
Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ & synths Henrik Gunde. 
Special guests lead trumpet Adam Rapa; percussion Eliel Lazo.

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