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Bebop Spoken There

Ferg Ireland: “I was very ignorant about early jazz - it's bizarrely skirted over in jazz education." - (Jazzwise, September 2021)

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! --

Postage

13,698 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 13 years ago. 1115 of them this year alone and, so far, 59 this month (Sept. 17).

From This Moment On ...

September

Sun 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon.
Sun 19: Musicians Unlimited @ South Durham Social Club, Westbourne Road, Hartlepool TS25 5RB. 1:00pm. South Durham Social Club aka Steelworks or Steelies. New venue for Teesside's premier big band.
Sun 19: Hand to Mouth: Lindsay Hannon & Bradley Johnston @ St James' & St Basil's Church, Newcastle. 3:00pm.
Sun 19: Green Tangerines + Knats @ Punch Bowl Hotel, Newcastle. 3:30pm.
Sun 19: Alice Grace Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Jazz in the Afternoon @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public)
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Celebrating TITTB's 20th anniversary & Dave Weisser's forthcoming birthday! Limited gig tickets (£1.00.). Free live stream. www.jazz.coop.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, North Tyneside. 1:00pm.
Thu 23: Jeremy McMurray & the Jazz Pocket Orchestra @ Middlesbrough Town Hall 8:00pm. .
Thu 23: Maine Street Jazzmen @ Sunniside Social Club, Sunniside, Gateshead. 8:30pm. .

Fri 24: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Gala Theatre, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band, Stockton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Jazz on a Summer's Day + Swing Bridge Trio (in the bar) @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Silent Music Seeing Sound + Spinningwork @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 6:30pm. Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music (NFOJIM).
Sat 25: Knats @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Sun 26: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. .
Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ South Durham Social Club, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. .
Sun 26: Foundry Jazz Ensemble @ The Exchange, North Shields. 4:00pm. .
Sun 26: David Gray Flextet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .
Sun 26: Nubiyan Twist @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Vasilis Xenopoulos - The Wind Machine @ Bridge Hotel Newcastle. April 24


Vasilis Xenopoulos (ten); Martin Shaw  (tpt/flg); Paul Edis (pno); Andy Champion (bs); Matt Home (dms). (Review by Lance/Photos  courtesy of Ken Drew).
It may not have been the line-up in the Jazz North East brochure but, after hearing the opening bars of Four Brothers, I said, "This will do for me!"
A blind person could be excused for thinking he was hearing the Woody Herman saxes whilst sighted persons were marvelling at how 5 could sound like 16! Honestly, if they'd packed up and gone home after that storming opener I would have still felt I'd got my money's worth! 12 hours later the tune is still running through my head!
Such is Vasy's technique both harmonically and melodically he'd have slotted perfectly into any Herman sax section. Martin Shaw, equally classy, - big sound, modern phrasing. Matt Home, no slacking when he's driving the bus. Great as the visitors were, without the home town heroes Edis and Champion the end result would have been so much lesser.
As it was, everyone kicked in. Splanky  and Kenny Dorham's Short Story kept the temperature high before relaxing with  Shaw's version of Loverman and Vasy's Polka Dots and Moonbeams - soft and sensuous.
Groove Merchant from the Jones-Lewis pad was the typical go out on a high, end of first set, number with the chase choruses by the two horns real edge of your seat stuff.
A quick pint then back into the arena for Tadd Dameron's Our Delight - was ever a tune more appropriately named? - Prelude to a Kiss, The Fan Club (Mel Lewis), Corner Pocket and the title track of the latest CD The Wind Machine (CD review to follow soon).
If Gregory Porter was the Vocal Gig of the Year (so far) this is the Small Band GOTY and, despite numerical contradictions, also in the running for the Big Band gong!
Fot those readers who are kicking themselves for missing the gig, the good news is that the Wind Machine can be heard at St. Cuthbert's Centre, Crook, DL15 9DN tonight (April 25, 7pm.)
Jim would have loved it...
Lance.
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