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Bebop Spoken There

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The Things They Say!

Hudson Music: Lance's "Bebop Spoken Here" is one of the heaviest and most influential jazz blogs in the UK.

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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.

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.

Sunday, March 27, 2016

James Birkett and Bradley Johnston Jazz Guitar Duo – Hexham, Saturday, March 26

(Review by Hugh C/Photos courtesy of Rachel).
'Twas a rain-lashed Easter Eve when 30 or so of the faithful gathered in the western margins of the Beboposphere at The Little Angel Cafe, Hexham.  Diners had finished their pizza and gelati, glasses or mugs (according to taste) were charged.  At the appointed hour (8pm) an expectant hush descended on those assembled and in the glow of the single spotlight the jazz guitar maestri James Birkett and Bradley Johnston took to the floor (there is no stage  - it is a cafe).
We were to be a treated to a whirlwind tour of the oeuvre from the 1920s to the contemporary.  We started with Blues for PJ and were next in Brazil with Antonio Carlos Jobim's Wave then back in 1920s USA with Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang's duo, Stringing the Blues – the part of Venuti's violin ably taken by Johnston on guitar.  We were then treated to a beautiful ballad by Pat Metheny (a favourite of the duo as you might expect) -  Farmer's Trust.  Gypsy jazz then came to the fore with Biréli Lagrène's Fisco Place, the two guitarists chasing each other at rapid speed, but ending together bang on the note.  Brazilian composer Luiz Bonfa's Una Prece followed then a guitar version of Sonny Rollins' Doxy.  The first set was finished by the quickfire round – Django Reinhardt's Suite Number Four.  It was at this point that James Birkett suggested the guys needed “a little lie down”.
During the interval I got into conversation with James Birkett (music educator as well as jazz guitarist) and learnt two things:
          The art of improvisation is not confined to Early Music/Baroque and Jazz as is commonly thought, but extended well into the Classical period – Beethoven, in particular, was an arch improvisor who could produce a whole piece from a short musical segment thrown at him by an audience member.

          It is urban myth that the grand London music colleges were the first in this country to run courses in jazz studies – in fact, these courses started in the North of England - Newcastle, Leeds and Salford in particular, at a time when the practice rooms of the London colleges still had notices on the walls to the effect of THIS PIANO MUST NOT BE USED FOR THE PLAYING OF JAZZ!

Refreshed in both mind and body then, the second half commenced with an energetic rendition of another Sonny Rollins number, Oleo.  The duo then cooled off with a three- time piece – John Lewis' Skating in Central ParkPerfect, by Eddie Lang followed leading into a bravura rendition of Coltrane's Giant Stepsas James Birkett put it “we sometimes like to set ourselves a challenge – there's a key change about every eight seconds”.  The bluesy Blue Room (Eddie Lang/Lonnie Johnson) then Reinhardt's Large followed ending up at the penultimate number, Burt Bacharach's AlfieIt was probably the sensuous rendition of this balladic song that prompted one audience member to speak to the meeting, a distinct “Yeah!” could be heard at the end. 
And here we were, at the final number.  Throughout the evening, the set list had been fluid, with Birkett and Johnston choosing the music played as they went along.  A brief introduction from Birkett to each piece provided background and context.  The title was announced:  Chick Corea's Spain - the famous introduction from Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez stunningly presented by Johnston.  This was a tour de force and served as an excellent finale. 
Overall this was an excellent evening in the sort of venue most suited to this kind of music, an intimate space with cabaret style seating and easily available refreshment.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, was educated – and the pizza was good too!  What's not to like?
The James Birkett/Bradley Johnston Jazz Guitar Duo can be experienced at Ushaw College, Durham on April 29 at 7.30 pm and at the Lit and Phil, Newcastle on June 24 at 1 pm.
Hugh C.

1 comment :

Lance said...

I'm surprised they didn't play any seasonal tunes like Easter the Sun or Eggsactly Like You

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