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Bebop Spoken There

Charles McPherson: “Jazz is best heard in intimate places”. (DownBeat, July, 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

16611 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 1504 of them this year alone and, so far, 50 this month (July 23).

From This Moment On ...

July

Sat 27: BBC Proms: BBC Introducing stage @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free. Line-up inc. Nu Groove (2:00pm); Abbie Finn Trio (2:50pm); Dilutey Juice (3:50pm); SwanNek (5:00pm); Rivkala (6:00pm).
Sat 27: Nomade Swing Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sat 27: Mississippi Dreamboats @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sat 27: Milne-Glendinning Band @ Cafédral, Owengate, Durham. 9:00pm. £9.00. & £6.00. A Durham Fringe Festival event.
Sat 27: Theon Cross + Knats @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 10:00pm. £22.00. BBC Proms: BBC Introducing Stage (Sage Two). A late night gig.

Sun 28: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm.
Sun 28: Miss Jean & the Ragtime Rewind Swing Band @ Fonteyn Ballroom, Dunelm House (Durham Students’ Union), Durham. 2:00pm. £9.00. & £6.00. A Durham Fringe Festival event.
Sun 28: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Nomade Swing Trio @ Red Lion, Alnmouth. 4:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 28: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 28: Milne Glendinning Band @ Cafédral, Owengate, Durham. 9:00pm. £9.00. & £6.00. A Durham Fringe Festival event.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: ???

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 31: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 31: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

August

Thu 01: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:30pm. £4.00.
Thu 01: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 01: Elsadie & the Bobcats @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 02: Mainly Two @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free (donations). SOLD OUT! Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. POSTPONED!

Monday, March 31, 2014

Double LP Review: Nat Birchell Quintet - Live in Larissa... Divine Harmony in Duende Jazz Bar.

Nat Birchall (ten/sop/bells.perc); Adam Fairhall (pno); Corey Mwamba (vbs/bells); Nick Blakka (bs); Paul Hessian (dms).
(Review by Lance)
Although my review copies were on CD this interesting double album is available only on vinyl or Download.
Recorded live in the Duende Jazz Bar, Larissa, Greece, Birchall took this decision after listening to the tapes. His conclusion was that the music really suited the warmth of vinyl although I've no complaints about the CD sound.
Those familiar with the musicians, and one sometimes gets the impression that Corey Mwamba is a Tynesider such are his frequent visits to the region, will know that this isn't going to be a stroll in the park. Infinite variety are the core words here. Tenderness and romance midst multi-coloured textures sooth the savaged breast and whilst the temperature in the pet shop reaches extremes during the freer moments I don't think the inmates were burnt, maybe just a little singed. In other words, it's contemporary but accessible.
Birchall excels on both tenor and soprano. John Coltrane, from Clifford Jordan's Glass Bead Games album takes up all of side one and the tenor playing is indeed very Tranelike. Solos all round with Mwamba, Fairhall, Blakka and Hessian all stretching out.
Alice Coltrane's Journey in Satchidananda is the opener to the second album and here Birchall achieves an almost clarinet-like fluency as he takes lines inspired by Pharoah Sanders on the original Alice Coltrane recording. Listen too to Fairhall on piano logically taking Birchall's solo in his own direction before handing the baton to Blakka on bass. After the bassist's melodic interlude it's back to Birchall for a fade out finish.
World Without Form is from Birchall's previous studio album of the same name. In fact several of the tracks on this live recording were also on the studio recording. I haven't heard the earlier recording so I'm unable to compare but if it is anything like this one then maybe a coin will have to be spun. Alternatively spin several coins and buy both albums.
Nat Birchall Quintet - Live in Larissa... Divine Harmony in Duende Jazz Bar is available from April 28 on Sound Soul and Spirit Records NB 003 (Distribution by Kudos).
Lance.
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