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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, July 26, 2017

Book Review: Dear Reflection: I Never Meant To Be A Rebel - Jessica Bell

(Review by Ann Alex)
Ms Bell, an Australian woman who lives in Athens, is an award-winning author, poet, creative writing teacher, graphic designer, singer, songwriter, and musician. She also co-founded Vine Leaves Press and she writes for various language teaching publishers. She is the daughter of Erika Bach, who with her partner Demetri Vlass, founded two of Melbourne’s iconic indie bands, Ape The Cry and Hard Candy.
The book is a memoir about Jessica’s childhood and youth, an interesting account of growing up with two talented adults who were heavily into their music, who encouraged Jessica in her own creativity and yet sometimes neglected her when following their careers. We read about her mother’s constant problems caused by being addicted to prescription drugs which gave rise to fits of anger and depression, and the effect this had on Jessica and Demetri. We learn about Jessica’s troubled adolescence, during which she tried all sorts of stimulants and lifestyles, experienced abusive relationships with men, and gave out some abuse herself. Without giving too much of the story away, things more or less come right in the end for both Jessica and her Mother, and Jessica becomes the successful woman described in the first paragraph.
 The book is saved from being just another misery memoir (a popular genre these days) by being skilfully written. For example, describing nerves felt before performing in a show, out author says tellingly ‘Butterflies head-butted the lining of my stomach.’ Jessica regularly has conversations about her situation with her mirror, which is both friend and enemy, as she imagines it is pointing out her faults and occasionally suggesting solutions. A note at the beginning of the work explains the methods of writing which are sound, for example, the writer has tried hard to be as accurate as possible but to avoid long-windedness she has sometimes combined three friends into one person to give the essence of what someone was like. I certainly believed the account that she provided of her life. And she does something which I wish all so-called celebrities would do when writing about their lives – she has the good sense to disguise the identity of all those she mentions, including even her husband, except for the names of her parents, who agreed to be identified.

So this tale is one of triumph against heavy odds, full of interest despite the reading being occasionally hard to take because of the problems described. And there is an added bonus – the music!  It’s not jazz but I loved it, so if your taste is for post punk indie bands, listen to Jessica’s parents in their youth by Googling  Ape The Cry and Hard Candy.( And ladies, Demetri Vlass is really dishy in the video) To hear samples of our author’s current band (electronic  indie pop/rock) go to www.keepshellyinathens.com 
The book was published on June 6. See www.jessicabellauthor.com
Ann Alex

2 comments :

Jessica Bell said...

Wow! Thank you so much for this fabulous review. So pleased you enjoyed my book. All the best to you!

Anonymous said...

Jessica, from Ann, You're very welcome. And I also loved your website, very inviting, and the Keep Shelly In Athens music is intriguingly good.

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