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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.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Sonsale + Collaborations Trio @ Sage Gateshead. November 28

(Review by Russell)
A double bill of familiar names and faces: regionally based musicians (bassists Andy Champion and John Pope), national names (Corey Mwamba, Chris Biscoe and Roger Turner) and from France, Valentin Ceccaldi and Sylvain Darrifourcq. The Northern Rock Hall at Sage Gateshead attracted the committed. Chris Biscoe performed earlier in the day at Newcastle University as ‘Biscoe & Co,’ and the same line-up – Biscoe (reeds), John Pope (double bass) and Roger Turner (percussion) – played a set of approximately one hour as the ‘Collaborations Trio’ offering four freely improvised pieces. The quality of the acoustic was in marked contrast to the ‘difficult’ space of the King’s Hall.
The musicians performed close up, the audience in raised tiers. Biscoe, in casual lounge suite, displayed a mastery of his instrument, be it alto, soprano or bass clarinet. The Cat with the Hat, John Pope, stood his ground, looking and sounding all the more at home having come through with flying colours at their lunchtime gig. The Gateshead man made less use of the bow and his contribution was all the better for it. Drummer Roger Turner is a treat anytime – visually as well as musically. Eyes closed, deep in concentration, he picked up sticks, brushes, sticks, more sticks, the tools of his trade. The drumming fraternity should have turned out in droves, in the event, two or three were there. There was much to admire and learn from someone of Turner’s pedigree.
The other half of the bill – Sonsale – returned to Tyneside, the place where it all began. One senses a real friendship between the four musicians. Corey Mwamba (vibes) is a frequent (and most welcome) visitor to Tyneside and has struck a vital partnership with bassist Andy Champion. The Frenchmen – Sylvain Darrifourcq (drums) and cellist Valentin Ceccaldi – are master musicians and all round good guys. The Paris-based duo work across the spectrum, largely Leftfield, contemporary ‘new’ musics. Darrifourcq, an impish character right out of a Godard movie, is a phenomenal talent. Some dyed in the wool jazzers would, no doubt, struggle to hear ‘jazz’ in his playing. No matter, he is one of those musicians you have to hear before you die (guitarist Mike Papapavlou, currently studying in NYC, should check him out. Another one for your list Mike!).
Darrifourcq played jazz kit plus. The ‘plus’ being the entire collection of his (mother’s?) kitchen pots and pans, alarm clocks and a zither! An amazing musician and well worth a trip to Paris to hear him.
Valentin Ceccaldi made a major contribution to this Sage performance. Diminutive, seated (all the more so), he straddles the ‘out’ scene and conventional strings’ settings. This gig heard him in out mode. And how! Is it legal to inflict violence on a defenceless cello? In a sustained, brutal attack he set up a glorious finale. Smiles beamed – Mwamba to Darrifourcq, Darrifourcq to Mwamba. Andy Champion, with ‘game face’ on, couldn’t resist an approving glance, a nod to Ceccaldi to his right. The Girl from Ipanema sprung from Mwamba’s vibes (your reviewer didn’t pick up on this at the time), the ever alert Champion latched on to it, one of the joys of the music. There is talk of Sonsale performing in France. As and when dates are confirmed they will be posted to this blog and it is recommended flights be booked to Paris
Russell.                      

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