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Bebop Spoken There

Billy Boy Arnold: “As long as you don't think old you're good.” - DownBeat, December, 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!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Postage

16051 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1058 of them this year alone and, so far, 12 this month (Dec. 6).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 11: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 11: Interim Final Recitals @ Newcastle University. Details TBC.

Tue 12: Stu Collingwood Organ Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £10.00.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 13: Giles Strong Quartet @ Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Hot Fingers @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 14: After Hours Student Jazz Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. . Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 14: Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Mo Scott ‘Little Mo’s Festive Appearance’ @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Tees Hot Club w. Kevin Eland, Josh Bentham, Garry Hadfield, Adrian Beadnell @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 15: Paul Edis @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Paul Skerritt @ Black Horse Inn, Crook. From 7:00pm.
Fri 15: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ St Cuhtbert's Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00. SOLD OUT! Waiting list open.
Fri 15: Zoë Gilby Trio @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £12.00. POSTPONED!
Fri 15: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. First night of two. SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Baghdaddies @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00.; £10.00.

Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 2:00pm. A Jazzy Christmas + Jambone.
Sat 16: Porritt & Barrett & Friends Xmas Special @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:00pm. £4.00.
Sat 16: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 16: Red Kites Jazz Band @ The Staithes Café, Gateshead. 7:00pm--9:00pm.
Sat 16: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Ellingham Village Hall, Chathill. 7:30pm. £12.00., £8.00.
Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Sat 16: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Second night of two.

Sun 17: Red Kites Jazz Band @ Gibside Chapel, nr. Rowlands Gill. 1:00-2:30pm.
Sun 17: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm.
Sun 17: Revolutionaires @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Rock ‘n’ roll excellence!
Sun 17: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Alehouse, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 17: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Multi-bill inc. David Gray’s Flextet + jam session.
Sun 17: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ Queen's Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. £17.00., £15.00.
Sun 17: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Amble Parish Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sun 17: Snake Davis Trio @ St John’s Hall, Snods Edge, Shotley Bridge DH8 9TJ. 7:30pm. £15.00. from 07766 037893.

Wednesday, June 05, 2013

A Brace of Albums from Satoko Fujii - Time Stands Still & Spring Storm.

(Review by Steve H)
Satoko Fujii is a Japanese classically trained avant garde pianist, multi bandleader and composer and that information is probably enough for you to decide whether you will enjoy these CD’s or not. However if you are willing to give  ‘Free Jazz’ a go then I'm sure you will get a lot out of these fascinating and intricate discs.
MA-DO – Time Stands Still
Satoko Fujii (Piano); Natuski Tamura (Trumpet); Norikatsu Koreyasu(Bass); Akira Horikoshi (Drums)
Due to the untimely death at the age of 56 of bass player Norikatsu Koreyasu this is the quartet’s third and final album. Many of the titles bear a relationship to time making the album even more of a poignant memorial to the late bassist. 
Setting off with Fortitude this has a scratching bass intro before other instruments join in, shrill trumpet from Tamura (Fujii’s husband) and then wild discordant piano playing from Fujii gets the whole thing going. North  Wind and the Sun starts atmospherically before a very lively trumpet solo takes it out. It then moves into a surprisingly melodic and tuneful section before  Fujii  erupts with another wild solo and concludes with some ferocious ensemble playing.
Time Flies is a showcase for the drumming of Horikoshi. Rolling Around is a slow short gentle minimalist number with a wolf like feel to it. Set The Clock Back is trumpet led with some very wistful bass from the late Koreyasu. Broken Time is a slow burner which proceeds into an exhilarating thrash followed by a quiet gentle passage before  ending on a booming high. Time stands Still is a very sad haunting and touching conclusion to not only this album but also to the recording career of this fine quartet.

Satoko Fujii New Trio  - Spring Storm
Satoko Fujii ( Piano);Todd Nicholson(Bass);Takshi Itani (Drums)
Spring Storm is the trio’s debut album.
This album kicks off the title song Spring Storm a  slow, quiet, mellow, classical piano solo before bass and drums join in as the tempo and the volume increases. It seems to change tack just about halfway through with a more gentle almost melodic section before progressing to some high tempo rousing activity by the ensemble. Convection  has a plucked bass intro leading into some  rumbling up tempo piano before progressing into a 100 mph gallop.
 Fuki sees Fujii playing wildly and exhilaratingly whilst her partners interject with subtle additions climaxing with a raging drum solo. Next up is the oddly named Whirlwind  as this is the  least ‘stormy’ track on the album! Maebure the longest piece features Nicholson on a long, mournful, bowed bass introduction before  Fujii and Itani burst in giving us a driving tour de force. The mood than changes once again and the song subsides to a melancholy close. The album concludes with Tremble.  An andante piano  piece accompanied by some very complimentary cymbal work by Itani.
If you’re looking for Summertime this album ain’t going to do it for you but Spring Storm is an interesting, enjoyable and worthwhile listen.
Steve H.


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