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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.

Friday, March 08, 2019

CD Review: Nick Sanders Trio - Playtime 2050

Nick Sanders (piano); Henry Fraser (double bass); Connor Baker (drums).
(Review by Dave Brownlow)

The Nick Sanders Trio present a 12 track album of creative material combining classical music and jazz in an innovative style. Looking to the future is how Sanders sees jazz developing via a repertoire of through-composed songs, swing tunes, free improvisations, ‘prepared piano’ interjections and solo piano items.

The album’s cover features rather disturbing art-work showing a young girl clutching a soft toy and both wearing gas masks. This painting appealed to Nick Sanders – its dark humour weirdly attracting his interest.

Live Normal has an appealing, jaunty melodic theme with various changes of tempo where bass and drums contribute strongly and attentively in middle segments. Manic Maniac has many shifts in time ranging from frantic to calm. Blisteringly avante-garde, some Cecil Taylor-like moments add to the chaos. The title tune, Playtime 2050 is a short swinger with a different tempo middle section. The charming melody leads to some clever improvisations before a reprise of the theme.

Prepared for the Blues provides the added interest of a ‘prepared piano’ where metal nails are placed between the piano strings to create a special ‘jangly’ effect. Sanders also quotes from Thelonious’ Blue Monk as the piece follows the conventional 12 bar structure. The meditative Still Considering conjures up a classical feel and indeed incorporates various fragments of melody from well-known masterpieces cleverly woven into the piece. This is a through-composed ballad which is well-thought-out at a gentle tempo.

The Number 3 has a frantic Bud Powell-type intro which then morphs into wild avante-garde passages where piano and drums challenge each other. Again, the ‘manic’ sections are interspersed with slower parts. Interlude For S.L.B. is a brief solo piano tribute respectful to Nick’s late mother. This charming piece has a strong classical form with hints of other diverse influences which intrigue…Endless has an A-B-A form where the fierce piano/drum ‘A’ sections are sharply contrasted with a calm, pastoral ‘B’ interlude. Drummer Baker is in the front line here as an equal soloist.

It’s Like This - a trio-led exploration of a gentle peaceful melody in a time signature that is difficult to pin down. Hungry Ghost has a tense, eerie, dark theme where bowed bass and muttering drums add to the feeling of unease…RPD is a slow, stately ruminative piece – its source being a zombie apocalypse video game “Resident Evil”. Prepared for the Accident is freely improvised, a percussive piece also using the prepared piano. The inspiration for this comes from avant-garde composer John Cage. #2 Longfellow Park concludes the program – its gorgeous hymn-like style reverently apt for the address of an old church in Boston.

Nick Sanders is a player committed to his ideas of moving jazz music forward and I applaud him for it.
The CD is worth repeated hearings to familiarise the listener to his wry style and humour as he looks to the future.
Available from March 15 on Sunnyside SSC 1537 from nicksandersmusic.com
Dave B

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