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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.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Stravena @ Hoochie Coochie 8/5/13

Sarah Travena (sop sax/flute) Mark Williams (guitar) Alan Law (piano) John Pope (bass) Mark Robertson (Drums)
(Review by Ed Case)
A very well attended night at Hoochie Coochie kicked off with a flawless arrangement of No More Blues, Sarah's sop. sax making light work of the many changes and the rhythm section kept the piece firmly placed in Brasilia. 
How High the Moon was excellently handled by Sarah, floating over the band, ornamenting beautifully a loose interpretation of the melody rubato before kicking it into tempo with a three times tag. As if this wasn't pleasing enough the whole thing morphed into Ornithology half way through with Mark and Sarah taking an obviously well rehearsed dual head. (Sounds filthy!)
Angel Eyes was beautifully brought in with sax and guitar harmonising over a Dave Liebman composition, setting a precedent for Sarah’s sax to bring real thought to a very tenderly played piece. Mark Williams took up the B languidly, making as much of a statement with his use of dynamics as the notes he chose; as ever, improving and owning any tune he embarks on.
The whole band took a nice change of pace, heading towards a rolling, gospel feel for Joe Zawinul’s Country Preacher, its laid back Cannonball groove working very well in the context of the set and piqued the interest of even the non ‘jazz’ members of the audience.
All or Nothing at All fairly skipped along, the work of John Pope and Mark Robertson allowing Sarah to take a tasteful and brief solo to finish the first set. The band leaving the stage so quickly some of us thought they had split up...
But no, Alan Law opened the second set with a solo account of All the Things You Are, a nice defined ‘Oscary’ moment before the band joined into a medium swing over a dinky motif.  Mark’s solo playfully quoting from some equally well known pieces, all the time being fully supported by John’s bass playing. Some fours allowed Mark Robertson to come to the fore (no pun..), his sense of humour obvious even when its medium is wordless.
Chucho had some drunks - sorry, punters - dancing at the bar but they were at a loss as what to do over Donna Lee Ha! Not surprised, it was a fair clip.
The classic There Will Never be Another You’ was never allowed to descend into cliche, the band really proving that an accomplished group of musicians can bring a fresh feel to any tune, no matter how many times it’s been played. The solo’s taken by Sarah, Alan, Mark and John were kept consistently interesting not only by the sense of personality each brought but the rhythm section’s refusal to rest on their laurels, the pedal John wrought over the end of Mark's solo a particular high for me. And one member audibly shouting ‘8’s, 4’s, 2’s!’ over the rest of the band meant the fun was only starting.
They finished with a funk (don’t know what it was) giving Sarah a chance to break out her flute and for Mark to use some of the extensive effects he had with him. Shame the flute was only out for the one song but well worth it regardless.
I really hope this band continue in this vein, a hugely promising start to Sarah Travena as a saxophonist and leader. 
Ed Case

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