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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, February 04, 2016

CD Review: Empirical – Connection

Nathaniel Facey – alto saxophone; Lewis Wright – vibraphone; Tom Farmer – double bass; Shaney Forbes – drums.
(Review by Hugh C)
 Empirical were formed in 2007 after the guys met whilst involved in the Tomorrow's Warriors scheme.  The current line-up has existed since 2008.  As you might expect from the name of the band their core ethos is one of experimentation.

Their first four albums were experimental with guest artists from a string quartet to a pianist to bass clarinet.  Connection features just the four core band members and is “an accurate representation of what we're doing now” according to Farmer, “This is our expression”.
Connection consists of a total of 10 tracks and comes in at just over 52 minutes in total.  The CD insert is short on words, but has four fine photographs of the band members at their sartorial best.  Their individual and collective musicianship on the CD is a sharp as their attire (see photograph).
The album is largely up-tempo with an overall thematic feel.  It is probably best heard straight through end to end, and indeed some of the tracks run straight into the next one.  The band members cleverly play off each other in well crafted, slightly off-beat skirmishes.  These are interspersed by more extended passages which permit the melodic qualities of Wright's vibraphone in particular to come to the fore. 
The ten tracks are all original compositions by band members Farmer, Wright and Facey. The different instruments are featured in virtuosic passages – exemplifying the band members' “uniquely equal role in the musical direction of the band”.
The CD begins with Initiate the Initiations followed, after a short fade, by Anxiety Society.  Stay the Course features a fine extended vibes solo by Wright accompanied by the percussive dynamo of Forbes' drums.  Driving Force surges forward into the relative tranquillity of Lethe, where the listener can breathe again and soak up the atmosphere engendered by Wright's languorous vibes overlain by Facey's almost Coltranesque alto saxophone.  One becomes lulled into a false sense of security and ends up lost in The Maze before segueing straight into Card Clash followed by The Two-Edged Sword (the shortest track on the album at 2.32).  Mind Over Mayhem (quite jagged – as might be expected) is followed by the more contemplative It's Out of Your Hands, the final track on the album.
Connection is due for release shortly on Cuneiform Records and is available for pre-order now through their website or usual retailers.  The London-based Empirical are touring as far North as Bedford (19/03/16), but if you happen to be in London between 22 – 28 February you may catch them in their pop-up jazz lounge at Old Street Station!
Hugh.

1 comment :

Hugh said...

Empirical are featured in the "Take Five" slot on Jamie Cullum's Radio 2 show this evening. Available on BBC iPlayer for 1 month (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b070wkf3)

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