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Bebop Spoken There

Kelly Sill: "Just because everyone is playing through the changes in the same time doesn't mean they're actually playing together" - (JazzTimes March/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

15260 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 279 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (March 29).

From This Moment On ...

April

Sun 02: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny. 12:45pm.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.

Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 04: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 04: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations. Feat. John Pope, Marie Shreer, John Garner.
Thu 06: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 06: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Note earlier start time.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 07: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 07: Finntet + Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.
Fri 07: TBA @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Blind Pig Blues Club.

Sat 08: Me Lost Me + Ceitidh Mac + Heather Ferrier @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 7:30pm. JNE.
Sat 08: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington DL1 5PN. 6:00pm. New venue, live jazz!
Sat 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED from last week (Sat 01).
Sat 08: Robbie Reay @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Acoustic blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Mr Tighe's, Bebside, Northumberland. 8:30pm.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

CD Review: Arne Jansen – The Sleep of Reason, Ode to Goya

Arne Jansen (guitars, piano), Andreas Edelmann (bass), Eric Schaefer (drums), Friedrich Paravicini (keyboards, cello, vibraphone), Stephan Braun (cello), Nils Wülker (flugelhorn)
(Review by Les)
Born in Flensburg, educated in Berlin, German guitarist Arne Jansen releases his third album, the majority of the content of which is an attempt to convey his personal feelings and emotional experiences as a result of viewing the Goya paintings in Madrid’s Prado Gallery.  Nine of the pieces are composed by Jansen, with two covers (U2’s Love is Blindness and Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms) thrown in for good measure.
On first listen, Jansen comes across as a competent player, and broadly speaking the pieces fall into three broad styles of playing – finger-style jazz, jazz-rock and delicate, improvised soundscape washes upon which the notes are “hung”.  However, after a few listens therein (for me at least) lies the problem.  Jansen’s enthusiasm for the guitar has a tendency to reveal too much about his influences rather than defining his own sound and style.  The finger-style pieces, for example, are reminiscent of Pat Metheny (with whom he attended workshops at college); the jazz-rock pieces are just a little “two-dimensional“, and best left to the likes of Al Di Meola and Jeff Beck.  Still, the playing is very listenable/enjoyable, and there are times when you feel Jansen’s character and personality are able to break through, especially on the “improvised soundscape” tunes.  Those moments are much more interesting, and to my ears Jansen needs to be a little more confident in his own ability and go for the real “him”.  The glimpses we get of this on this album are certainly among its highlights.
I’m not sure why Jansen felt the need to include the covers on the album.  They’re not necessary, and are possibly more appropriate being played by the busking musician in the corner of a restaurant than on the third release of a serious, up and coming artist.  The originals are certainly better.
Despite my criticisms there’s a lot to enjoy on this album, and I for one look forward to future releases by Arne Jansen in the hope of hearing (more than glimpses of) “the real Him”.  Overall, a commendable effort though.
The Sleep of Reason is released  June 3 (ACT Music)
Les.

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