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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 2023).

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!"

Postage

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Improvisers’ Workshop @ The Jazz Café. July 8

Andy Champion (electric bass & electronics) & Wes Stephenson (drums) + Paul Edis (piano), Harley Johnson (piano), Dougie Fielder (tenor saxophone), Zoe Gilby (voice), Julie Allan (voice), ? (mandolin & cello), Penny (cello), ? (flute), Nialls ? (mandolin & shakers), ? (bodhran)
(Review by Russell).
The first in a new monthly workshop session at the Jazz Café curated by (in old money ‘led by’) bassist Andy Champion with sparring partner for the evening Wes Stephenson (drums), the question uppermost in the mind: would anyone turn up? They did, faces old and new. The jazz faces were there, so too some non-jazz faces.
Champion and Stephenson started proceedings with our seated curator looking down at an array of flashing lights on a pedal board and a half. Pianist Paul Edis was the first to throw his hat in the ring, seating himself at the upright looking, listening for an opening.
Seizing his opportunity, Edis made this opening piece a three way conversation. A good beginning to a new venture. Edis departed, leaving the floor open to all comers.
Dougie Fielder, having travelled from Cumbria, got up and gave it a go. In no time a mandolin joined the orchestra, then a cello, then, all the way from Stanley, County Durham, Harley Johnson. HJ is a pianist, a good pianist. HJ decided to dismantle the piano, front top panel then, sitting on the floor, the bottom panel. The piano lid was down. HJ didn’t seem to notice. Much banging (HJ remained seated on the floor), plucking and strumming ensued. Our pianist stood up and much banging, plucking and strumming of strings on the upper half of the upright ensued. In an aside the Jazz Café’s proprietor said: I’ll have to get the thing tuned. There was the temptation to tell HJ that the piano lid wasn’t locked.
Our mandolin player suggested HJ play the keyboard. Zoe Gilby and Julie Allan decided to add voice to the collective. Numbers grew, at one point perhaps ten musicians played together. Some knew when to drop out, at times the larger ensemble lost focus, refocused and finally resolved the improvisation. At Champion’s suggestion the final piece of the evening would begin with all ten participants starting simultaneously. And they did, with gusto (who needs Ornette?). Mid-point, mandolin attempted to subvert matters with a clearly delineated Autumn Leaves. Blink and it was gone. Next month’s workshop begins at eight o’clock, second Tuesday (August 12). Participants (all instruments) and listeners welcome.          
Russell.       

1 comment :

Lance said...

Crombie must be turning in his grave...

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