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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.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

CD Review: Soweto Kinch - The Legend of Mike Smith


Soweto Kinch (rap vocals, alto & tenor saxophones, Fender Rhodes, all beats & programming), Shabaka Hutchings (tenor saxophone & clarinet), Jay Phelps (trumpet), Karl Rasheed-Abel (all live double bass), Graham Godfrey (all live drums), Julian Joseph (piano), Cleveland Watkiss (vocals), Eska Mtungwazi (vocals), Rachel Maby (vocals, all interludes)
(Review by Russell).
Soweto Kinch - urban musician, Oxford graduate in Modern History - has produced an ambitious work with the release of The Legend of Mike Smith
A double CD featuring a core band of musicians and a cast of characters tells the story of an aspiring rap artist in a world of ‘corporate suits’ seeking to exploit the underground talent of the eponymous hero is one facet of a project developed over several years in conjunction with Jonzi D. The scale of the work is impressive incorporating dance, design, jazz, hip-hop and visual art. Kinch sees the work as being in development, evolving as it is seen and heard in performance and on CD over the coming weeks and months. 
The work is based around the Seven Deadly Sins with MC Smith portrayed by a double narrator (Kurt Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins incorporated the device); Kinch narrates Smith’s inner thoughts, brother Toyin Omari-Kinch is the voice of the protagonist. Kinch the rapper drives the narrative, programmed beats (drum ’n’ bass) and Bach chorales (!) infuse the entire work and the ‘live’ jazz element is of the highest order. 
MC Smith takes The Phone Call from the cynical industry professional offering him riches and the dye is cast. Our hero sets off in  search of a mic (The Golden Mic) and encounters numerous obstacles as he takes his first frustrating (and at times amusing) steps in the music business (Kinch has previously spoken of his War in a Rack - a struggle against the industry’s pigeon-holing of his music). Road Block showcases the band’s blistering jazz credentials, Shabaka Hutchings (a BBC Radio 3 New Generation artist) plays big tenor on Tube Delays and Traffic Lights scream blindingly as altoist Kinch picks up the tenor. Trumpeter Jay Phelps and Julian Joseph (piano) shine on the ballad Vacuum and Joseph contributes to the tumultuous Sweeping Changes (stellar drumming from Graham Godfrey, Kinch on alto). Austerity, pizza chains, fat cats, the voiceless Palestinians, finance agreements, peddled cheap credit and the wealth gap are just some of the subjects referenced in a brilliant exposition on Avaritia. Will our hero resist? No matter, the band tear it up on Slam (put it on the iPod). Better Off Alone features Kinch rapping and playing tenor as Eska Mtungwazi’s excellent vocals -I’ll go my own way - suggest Smith should do it his way. Then more wonderfully dark, inventive lyrics on Superbia and The Dark Warrior Lord. Highlights are many; the tight combo playing on D’Urge is simply sublime drawing on American free jazz, Braxton, Dolphy and so much more. MC Smith survives Man’s Darkest Hour, experiences an Epiphany resulting in the joyous The Healing and The Bounce.
 Russell.
The Cast: Mike Smith: Toyin Omari-Kinch, Mike’s inner thoughts: Soweto Kinch, The Sage: Jonathan Owen, Kate Advo (A+R): Tessa Walker, Muse 1: Yvette Harris, Muse 2: Jonzi D, The Choir: Rachel Maby, Buzzy Sparxx: Dominic ‘Silverchet’ Davids, Taxi Driver: Joel Cottrell, Police Man in ‘Pressure’: Tony Platt, Bajan Tube Announcer: Jonzi D, Concierge: David Timothy, Waitress: Iza Coesak, Jada: Terri Facey, Jenni: Mimi Fresh, Dark Angel: Tyrone Huggins, Amusement Arcade Worker: Jonzi D, Koos: Tony ‘Jamo’ Morrison, Cynthia: Janine Small, Razor Sharp: Daniel Anderson.
Photography: Ben Amure, Album Design: D237, Illustrations: Daniel Isles, Soapbox Design. Producer: Tony Platt.
Soweto Kinch The Legend of Mike Smith is available on Soweto Kinch Recordings SKP003CD
Soweto Kinch will tour the project in collaboration with choreographer Jonzi D with a full staging of the work at the re-opening of Birmingham Rep on 12 September 2013. Kinch’s new trio - Shaney Forbes (drums) and bassist Karl Rasheed-Abel - will perform the music at this year’s Gateshead International Jazz Festival on Friday 5 April. A major event, be there.                  
                            


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