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Bebop Spoken There

Wendell Brunious: "Because the blues is not 1,4 and 5 or 1,4,5,2,1. You could wake up with a flat tyre or a headache this morning, that's the blues, man" - (DownBeat, Oct. 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

15878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 885 of them this year alone and, so far, 83 this month (Sept. 30).

From This Moment On ...

October

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Tue 03: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums). CANCELLED!

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00. POSTPONED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 06: Alcyona Mick @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 2:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Balo @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Fri 06: Lexer/Mayes/Noble + Semay Wu + Miman @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Vault, Hexham. 7:30pm. £20.00. Book in advance. Moreno with Alan Law, Paul Grainger & John Bradford.
Fri 06: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. 'Celebrating Oscar'.
Fri 06: Nu Brass Sounds: Big Brass Bash @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: TBC @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 07: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 10:15am. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Hot Club du Nord @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 07: Bugge & Niccols + Moore & Fairhall @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - All the Things You Are. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 07: Rie Nakajima @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Sat 07: Samuel Blaser Trio + Toxvaerd & Zeeberg + Muramatsu & Welch @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

CD Review: Present Day The Original Unit

Stefan Walcott  (piano & keyboards), Neil Newton (double bass & electric bass) & David Carnegie (drums) 
(Review by Russell).
A jazz trio from Barbados. I can’t claim familiarity with the jazz scene on the island of Barbados but I do know the work of drummer David Carnegie. A few years ago on City Road in Newcastle, Dave Weisser’s Take it to the Bridge session was in full swing at the now demolished Egypt Cottage public house when in walked David Carnegie. He sat in. After a couple of bars I looked across the room to Weisser…a smile, a nod. Another great musician had announced his arrival on Tyneside (I guess this sort of occasion makes it all worth while for Weisser). Gig goers came to know David as a gentle, humble man who made a considerable impact on the music scene during his time in England
Circumstances decreed that he return to his homeland of Barbados

DC has been busy. One project has been the recording of a new CD. 
Present Day is a ten track recording by the Original Unit (described in the liner notes as a ‘Barbadian jazz trio’). All three musicians have contributed tunes to the CD; two from pianist Stefan Walcott, one from bassist Neil Newton and four from Carnegie. The mid-tempo opener – Sunshine Roxy – comes from the pen of Walcott and is described as a ‘calypso jazz work’ with excellent piano from the composer, a warm tone from Neil Newton on double bass and Carnegie typically contributes subtle light and shade. Present Day (Carnegie) was inspired by the composer meeting and hearing Gwilym Simcock in the UK (David – the brilliant Simcock performs at the Sage in October!). Post Modern Revisionist Soul (Carnegie acknowledges the somewhat pretentious title!) is, to quote the composer a ‘(much loved) neo-soul jam’. 
Repeated listenings have made this a much loved track for this reviewer. Taken at walking pace, Walcott develops the melody, electric bass and drums get into the laid-back groove bringing to mind the best of the Jazz Crusaders. Voice in My Head (comp.E.Yearwood), one of two tunes not written by the trio, is most lyrical, as are other tracks, suggesting words could well be written for some pieces. The other non-original piece is Monk’s Well You Needn’t (most recently heard live by this reviewer at Weisser’s night at the Chillingham with drummer Paul Wight swinging it mightily) featuring superb playing from all three musicians – effortless swing from Walcott, spot-on double bass playing from Newton and Carnegie’s work recalls his many great performances in the north east of England. Is there a reference to Tito Puente in there? A hint of Oye Como Va perhaps. Walcott’s Kensington New Road is intended to sonically portray the Muslim Asian community in Bridgetown. In the future the composer hopes to incorporate the tune into a Bridgetown Suite to celebrate the ancient city. The pianist’s playing is certainly most impassioned on this track. Newton’s Sounds Like a Love Song to Me sounds like a classic jazz ballad according to the composer. It is exactly that. Carnegie’s Post Modern Revisionist Soul (Reimagined) features dazzling piano, a great bass line and crisp percussion throughout. Bassist Newton’s Untied closes the set with Walcott’s piano drawing on twentieth century classical music; tentative, explorative sketches underpinned by the distant pulse of Newton’s electric bass.
 Present Day was recorded at Canefield Studio, Barbados on February 23, 2012. The Original Unit on tour in the UK sounds good to me. Let’s hope it happens. 
Check out www.originalunit.com (ready soon).
Russell                           

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