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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 23: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 4:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Mon 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Robert Mitchell 3io - Schmazz @ The Cluny

Robert Mitchell (pno), Tom Mason (stick bass), Richard Spavin (dms).
Anyone who heard Robert Mitchell at Matana Roberts' recent Live Theatre gig didn't need reminding that Robert is a pianist of outstanding technique and creativity. This promised to be one of the most outstanding Schmazz @ The Cluny gigs for many a full moon and I'm pleased to say that it lived up to expectations. With Tom Mason on bass and Richard Spaven, drums, Britain really did have talent tonight at The Cluny.
Mitchell is possessed of possibly the most prodigious technique I've heard in any pianoman and he used it to the full without a parachute.
If you've ever watched the Tour de France and marvelled at the skill with which the riders handle the twisting Alpine descents - this was it in piano terms. At times it was almost like a Liszt Piano Concerto played in double time. His attack was so percussive that his hands were just a blur. If he ever gets sick of piano he'd make one helluva drummer!
Tom Mason on the strange instrument called a stick bass - I call it a 'Pogo' - had some nice touches although I can't see any advantage over a double bass or even a fretless. Still it's his choice so who am I to argue.
Spaven proved to be yet another fine young drummer who added his own voice to the trio, sorry '3io'. For once we had a gig without endless rounds of fours and obligatory bass solos - I'm pleased to say.
Great gig.
Lance.

2 comments :

Paul B said...

There's nothing really I can add to Lance's review - this was indeed a stupendous gig from a pianist who's still not getting the level of recognition he deserves (and why weren't any of our local pianistic whizzkids in the audience last night?).

Just a note, though, on Tom Mason's "stick bass", which I agree has no aural advantages over the conventional bull fiddle, and seemed to me to have less richness in bowed passages. But it does have an advantage in portability, and as the trio had travelled from London by train, it was a matter of convenience for Tom.

Lance said...

I suspected portability might come into the equation.
We did have one "pianistic whizzkid" in the audience in the form of Stu Collingwood - himself no mean performer. Stu was impressed as was drummer Malcolm Dick.

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