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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.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Eyes Shut Tight @ The Bridge Hotel. March 10, 2013

Paul Baxter (double bass), Johnny Tomlinson (keyboards) & Kristoffer Wright (drums)
(Review by Russell.)
Sunday night at the Bridge. One thing was for certain - it would be snowing. It was. Another thing - there was a predictably small audience. Where would you rather be - in front of a television watching Countryfile: a Royal Appointment or perhaps Top Gear (I've just checked) or sitting with a tip-top pint in one of Newcastle’s very best pubs listening to some first rate jazz? No contest, surely?
This week’s Splinter session presented Eyes Shut Tight, a trio led by bassist Paul Baxter. The tall, relaxed  Yorkshireman has played Splinter on more than one occasion over the last year or two and this latest visit saw him in the company of Johnny Tomlinson (keyboards) and drummer Kristoffer Wright - collectively EST, sorry, Eyes Shut Tight. The temptation to draw a parallel with EST is all too easy and it is true to say that there are similarities - taut, repetitive motifs and a focus on keyboard improvisations.
Bassist Paul Baxter is the trio’s principal composer and one of his tunes - A Touch of the Charlies - referenced two double bass players (Charlie Haden and Charles Mingus) suggesting a feature for the composer. Not so. Baxter writes for the group with drummer Kristoffer Wright and Johnny Tomlinson contributing in equal measure to the group sound. Hit and Hope and Precipice couldn't restrain Tomlinson and his formidable technique shone through.
The trio arrived in Newcastle mid-tour with new tunes to play from their new CD Resonance. The title track and a ballad - T and C (comp. Wright) - owed something to the gospel sound redolent in the music of, say, Junior Mance or Dr.Billy Taylor and the gig concluded with Mr C. There is another chance to hear these tunes and more next month (April 6) when Eyes Shut Tight visit the Sage during the Gateshead International Jazz Festival. Next week’s Splinter session features the excellent King Bee.                        
Russell.         

5 comments :

Brian Bennett said...

Can we keep blaming the weather for small audiences, Russell?
Just a short walk from The Bridge, Live Theatre was 'packed to the gunwales'. Same snow and bitterly cold weather, but an event which was sold out in spite of having no director, no set and an actor (Kevin Whately) who hadn't even seen the script.

Dave Parker (on Facebook) said...

I've commented before that the venue for Splinter @ The Bridge excludes people with mobility difficulties, some of whom, I know, would like to attend.

Dave Parker (on Facebook) said...

Also by hiding emerging jazz musician away in an upstairs room that you have to pay to enter you are only ever going to attract people who are 'in the know'.

Lance said...

I'm not sure if the musicians who play at the Bridge, Dave, are emerging. Most have well and truly emerged. Paul Baxter, for example, has led various bands at Festivals - including a big band at Scarborough last year. As regards to being "In The Know" I think Bebop Spoken Here, Paul Bream's Jazz Alert, The Informer, The JNE fliers, the Splinter page on Facebook ensure that those interested are indeed "In the know".
I do agree with you re mobility difficulties but also appreciate the difficulties the organisers face in finding suitable venues for jazz.
As regards having to pay, well, in the absence of suitable funding, how else are the musicians going to be paid?

Brian said...

Lance has hit the nail on the head when he says the main problem for organisers is finding a 'suitable' venue for jazz. Of the many pubs, social clubs, community centres, church halls, etc. in and around Newcastle only a small number would be suitable as a jazz venue. Support and encouragement by proprietors is essential, too.
The criteria is obvious but not always easy to find:
1. LOCATION - nearby Metro station; regular bus service, etc.
2. ACCESS - downstairs good, upstairs bad (unless there's a lift)
3. CAR PARKING - secure, free and adjacent to the venue
Recently at The Millstone, the VCJ switched from the upstairs function room to the downstairs bar lounge, at the same time moving the session from evening to afternoon. We're now playing to a full house with customers arriving before midday for seats. Food and beer sales have soared - much to the delight of the pub management.

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