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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise April 2023).

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!"

Postage

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 28: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 28: Sanaz Lavasani Trio @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 30: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. Back to 1:00pm stomp off. Free.
Thu 30: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 30: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

CD Review: Loud City - Vasilis Xenopoulos & The Xtet.

Vasilis Xenopoulos (ten/alt); Nigel Price (gtr); Sam Gambarini (Hammond); Chris Nickolls (dms).
A major event! Those of us who have enjoyed "Vasi's" occasional forays to Blaydon, Durham, Saltburn, Jesmond and Newcastle will be delighted with this - his debut CD as a leader.
Eight original pieces composed and arranged by Xenopolous and played with the Grecian elegance we have come to associate with this fine sax player.
The moods very from Mobleyesque hard bop (West Side Groove), pure bebop (The X Changes), funky grooves (Loud City, Elis Can Dance), to ballads (And Now What?), relaxed swing (For All Those Lazy Sundays.)
Vasilis sails through the changes every note counting - no pointless displays of technique to cover up a paucity of ideas here although when the solo demands it the dexterity is there.
The Nigel Price Trio - big hitters in their own right - provide the perfect support. Price is the ideal foil playing some superb guitar solos to complement the tenor/alto work. Sam Gambarini resists the temptation to dominate the others with the power at his right foot (despite the title it's not a triple forte album) and is tasteful and sympathetic throughout. On drums Chris Nikolls provides the perfect foundation to suit the varied rhythms.
When I list my Recordings of the Year this one is going to be pretty high on the list.
More details and soundbites from www.vasilisx.com.
Lance.
Vasilis Xenopoulos - Loud City. 33jazz224

2 comments :

Don Emanuel said...

A little slip, it's obviously the Nigel Price Trio with Nigel on guitar NOT Nigel Wright.

Lance said...

Thanks Don - must have been carried away by the music - which I was - and got my names confused - I often do this Jim.

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