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Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 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

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Monday, December 09, 2013

ALT – Splinter @ the Bridge December 8

Alan Law (Piano) John Pope (D Bass) Jonathan Marriott (Drums)
(Review by Kath Jobes)
Wow what a busy Sunday! First I went to the inaugural Jam session at Salsa… great to see some new faces… long may it continue… you can never have too much Jazz!   After a bite to eat at and a natter to a couple of folks, I moved on to Splinter at The Bridge… well, I thought, why not make an evening of it?
I think I was the first one there… apart from the band, but slowly the numbers grew, although not quite as well attended as expected…but that’s the way it goes sometimes. 
The first set commences with Tyneside Blues, an original number written by Alan Law, filled with 13ths in recognition of a mate he used to play with who would often shout out that the chord in bar so and so is a 13th… sorry I missed the guy’s name but anyone who plays with him may well recognise this reference.  This tune began with a very laid-back piano but quickly gained momentum into a nice improvised section between D. Bass and Piano.  The next number, Ending, was described as ‘not swing’  and indeed that soft piano introduction with occasional swishes from the brushes of Jonathan Marriott that grew as ‘Thee Pope’ added his bass was certainly not swing… the progression onto an intricate bass solo and variation of timbre  of percussion and piano enthralled the growing audience.  A lovely ballad ensued, I Remember Clifford, and this tune exhibited the wonderful combination of Bass and Piano, with just the occasional tickle of the cymbals from Marriott… enchanting!
A Don Cherry number, Brown Rice was introduced by Popes unique style -  skilfully slapping and tapping his bass with only the occasional pluck of a string… the piano and drum grew into the tune giving it an organic quality, the feel of the music modulated between soft and vibrant sections… the drums really came in to their own in this piece, as Jonathan switched between brushes, to sticks and on to timpani mallets, booming out,  bringing images of a thunderstorm turning to a softer rain and, just as you thought the storm was over, we were rapidly  returned to the cacophony of the storm… simply stunning!
The last number of this set, Mixed with Glass, was written by John Pope and described by Alan Law as, “a lullaby that gets kinda shouty!”  This tune really spoke to my soul, it started off so gently with soft brushwork joined by a tranquil piano, and the occasional ‘heartbeat’ from the bass drum. 
As the layers of instruments were added, and the timbre modulated between soft and gentle to crazy and mixed up, then back to soft and gentle… the internal changes of emotion continued and grew with the resounding percussion to a roar as we reached the pinnacle…that simply faded away.  Phew!  What emotional dynamic music… and how could it get any better… but it did!
*****
The second half was a free jazz session, having been at a recent free jazz event at the Sage I thought I was prepared for this next piece, jovially named by Alan Law as ‘Half Past Nine on a Sunday Night at the Bridge  in December’,  but later christened as A Journey of Consciousness.  I would think that every member of the audience would have their own take on this piece of music, but as I listened, I jotted down my thoughts and imaginings which I shall share with you…
For me this emotive piece brought forth a passionate journey, with streams of consciousness varying between strolling along to suddenly crashing into oblivion… becoming quite insistent as the musicians ‘lost themselves’ in their own instruments.  A sudden lull in the music was filled as the piano exerted its presence to be joined by bass and percussion…. Anxious confusion and turmoil ebbed away to softer gentler flutterings, flowing on like an unstoppable river to a more insistent sound until it reaches the sea… and the waves gently crash against the shore.  A song of renewal and new beginnings brought forth new life and developed a new and exciting theme heading out into the cosmos before being brought back to earth by a deep and reverberating bass solo as we were thrown into the uncertainty of not knowing where we were going.  Suddenly we are running to escape this reality and uncertainty is revealed again… the repetition of a phrase by both bass and piano led us ever onwards to who knows where… perhaps to the deepest corners of our soul in search of the soul bird… searching the corners of one’s mind to where internal destruction has hidden all thought of what was before … thoughts… where am I?  Where am I going? What will I find… a new start… a broken heart… life goes on and I will survive this journey and go ever onwards… intertwining petals of a flower spiral around and growth returns, determined, strong and feisty… ebbing away to a steady flow before the insurgence of tension builds to bursting pitch! 
… And ten minutes later I was still feeling the emotive storm raging within deep in my solar plexus… yes indeed this was a Journey of Consciousness!
Thanks to Kathryn Lowdon for her thoughts and input, and the ‘stolen’ phrase, ‘streams of consciousness’.
Kath J.

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