Total Pageviews

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.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Abdullah Ibrahim's Ekaya @ The Gateshead Jazz Festival

Abdullah Ibrahim piano; Belden Bullock bass; George Graydrums;Cleave Guyton alto sax; Keith Loftis tenor sax; Andrae Murchison trombone; Jason Marshall baritone sax.
I came in on a high from the previous two concerts (Brass Jaw and Jason Yarde with VOTNJO) this was to be the icing on the cake - and it was. The only trouble being that there was too much icing and not enough cake.
It all began with Abdullah playing beautifully and serene. One of the signs of a good pianist, jazz or otherwise, is in the touch - the feeling that is created when fingers hit keys. Abdullah has that.
Bass and drums joined him and added their own ingredients to the mix. The result still beautifully serene.
On came the horns and I thought that now we're going to get that infectious swing the program notes referred to.
Instead it was rich harmonies that drew up pastoral images and so, for the first hour of this two hour, uninterrupted, concert the tapestry unfolded - beautiful and serene.
I began to feel restless. True that, in this sea of tranquillity, there were a couple of suggestions of turbulence when the tempo upped and the horns were let loose but they were small islands and it soon returned to the neo-funereal.
This was a unique experience for me. Never before have I heard so much beautiful music yet left without a spring to my step.
It was left to Gerry Richardson's Big Idea to do that afterwards in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sadly, I could only stay for a couple of numbers as the Metro beckoned but nevertheless, they gave me the uplift I needed.
Lance.

4 comments :

Peter said...

I enjoyed the Abdullah gig last night. I knew nothing about him but thourght his solo stuff was beautiful and evocative. I could have listened to it for hours. I couldn't get my head round the genre of the jazz style the band played but some great arrangements in the second half particularly. Great tenor player. And the whole band were very good at blowing !

SR said...

Spellbindingly spellbound by that horn section. Probably the best live performance I've experienced for years. Something happened in that room and we all felt it. And still do 24 hours later. I could cry right now.

Hil said...

Can I just add how many of you missed out on the great experience of the festival after hours club.
I was there on one night, surrounded by lots of the stars of the festival all playing their little hearts out in front of other musicians.
Great time had by all.

George Milburn said...

Sounds like I should have supported Abdullah as this has drawn diverse reactions, but sadly I couldn't make it. I've been listening to him since I got his original African Piano album in the early 70's when he went under the name of Dollar Brand - really is worth getting up for. His style has been more serenity than attack, which can be like a hot bath - there's a limit to how long you can enjoy lying in it!

Blog Archive