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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, July 28, 2013

Wayne Shorter 4tet /ACS @ Marseille Jazz Festival – July 23

ACS : Geri Allen (piano), Terri Lyne Carrington (drums), Esperanza Spalding (bass) 
WAYNE SHORTER 4TET:  Wayne Shorter (saxophone), Danilo Perez (piano), John Patitucci (bass), Brian Blade (drums).
(Review by JC)
After an entertaining (but hot) motorized meander through France, we arrived as planned at Marseille in time for Wayne Shorter’s appearance at the local jazz festival. Cooling down in an air-conditioned room overlooking the old port, the view from the window was very pleasant, even if there was no sign of a pork pie hat – neither Popeye Doyle’s nor the ‘Prez’.
Arriving at the venue by taxi, the Palais Longchamp had that quiet, understated elegance so typical of France, with a towering entrance of fountains, statues and pillars at least six stories high and curved staircases running up each side. We had expected something outdoors but not quite as grand as this and so had brought some bottles of water and bottles of wine. The smiling security at the gate were quite happy for us to bring in as much wine as we wanted but insisted that the tops were taken off all the bottles. When asked why, the mimed explanation was that they might be used as missiles (fair enough, but just imagine an open air gig in England where the audience would throw full bottles of alcohol at the stage).
Of course, we needn't have bothered bringing anything, as there were a variety of bars and stands selling every kind of food and drink. There was even an open-air silver service restaurant and champagne bar, unfortunately only available to VIPs, liggers and other hangers on. The concert area itself was more Glynebourne than Glastonbury with plenty of space for people to stretch out with chairs, tables and picnics. 
The gig was billed as a celebration of Wayne Shorter’s 80th birthday and the support band were identified as part of the process. This was the all-women jazz group of Geri Allen, Terri Lyne Carrington and Esperanza Spalding, which I was looking forward to hearing. However, I found this set to be a disappointment, for although the three were clearly excellent musicians and soloed together in a complex manner, the music itself never really took off for me and a lot of the tunes sounded quite similar. Even the sound of the cicadas in the trees became a little repetitive and I don’t think that the continual clicking of the membranes in their abdomen is ever going to get them an ‘On the Outside ‘ gig, even in the insect jazz world.
So although the band seemed to be well received there were quite a lot of people around us lying flat out on the grass counting the stars or catching up on beauty sleep.
Another disadvantage of having a ‘support’ band was that it was now 11pm and still over 80 degrees, I could sense my accompanist getting a little fidgety and starting to dream of some shut eye in a nice cool bed.
However, I needn't have worried – the moment Wayne Shorter and the 4tet started playing everyone in the audience was gripped. This was exquisite music as each of the musicians listened closely to each other, sometimes joining in and adding something or else leaving spaces for their colleagues. For the first time I saw the value of having giant screens at a gig as the cameraman didn't just show a general view of the stage or an individual musician but focused in on the key board of the piano or Wayne Shorter’s hands on the keys of his saxophone so you could see musical ideas being worked out. Occasionally it focused on Shorter’s face, usually furrowed in concentration but occasionally giving a slight hint of a smile as he listened to some idea from one of the other band members. What he and the band played I don’t know but the music was beautiful and enthralling. A magical gig.
Fortunately, unlike the No. 27 bus, the Marseille metro was still running at one o'clock in the morning….
JC


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