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Bebop Spoken There

Kelly Sill: "Just because everyone is playing through the changes in the same time doesn't mean they're actually playing together" - (JazzTimes March/April 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

15260 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 279 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (March 29).

From This Moment On ...

April

Sun 02: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny. 12:45pm.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.

Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 04: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 04: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations. Feat. John Pope, Marie Shreer, John Garner.
Thu 06: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 06: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Note earlier start time.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 07: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 07: Finntet + Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.
Fri 07: TBA @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Blind Pig Blues Club.

Sat 08: Me Lost Me + Ceitidh Mac + Heather Ferrier @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 7:30pm. JNE.
Sat 08: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington DL1 5PN. 6:00pm. New venue, live jazz!
Sat 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED from last week (Sat 01).
Sat 08: Robbie Reay @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Acoustic blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Mr Tighe's, Bebside, Northumberland. 8:30pm.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

CD Review: Jacob Karlzon 3 - Shine

Jacob Karlzon (piano, keys, synths & programming); Hans Anderson (bass); Robert Mehmet Ikiz (drums).
(Review by JC)
Jacob Karlzon is a new name to me but he was initially widely known as a piano partner of Viktoria Tolstoy and he released a well-received debut trio record More in 2012. In the sleeve notes to this new album Shine he describes his aim as wanting to combine the best of two worlds: '- the openness, curiosity and energy of jazz, and the power, catchiness and the production techniques of pop'. At first glance this was not a project to set my pulses racing as it has never seemed to me a combination that enriches either genre. And this was confirmed somewhat by a number of the tracks that feature the piano/keys over the solid rhythm section and various background washes of synths and programming. Enjoyable but not particularly outstanding.
To my mind the more interesting tracks are later on the CD where the jazz influence dominates more. Inner Hills has a delicate, melodic feel and Screening Self creates a solid jazz-rock groove. The final track A Thousand Conclusions gives the bass player a chance to demonstrate his soloing abilities, something that is rare on the rest of the album.
Karlzon is clearly a very fine piano player and all of the tracks are his own compositions except for the U2 song I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. However, there is a tendency in the unattributed sleeve notes to over-hype his work with, for example, the U2 song being described as 'this fragile, achingly beautiful solo-piano version' which, although very well played, seems a little excessive (although I should declare a bias here as the Irish popsters are not my favourite 'go to' composers). Karlzon himself is given to some new age philosophising and in explaining why Shine is the title of the album says: 'From a musical standpoint, a constantly changing glow permeates the entire album. I hope that this music helps each and everyone who hears it to shine a little in their daily life.' I couldn't help thinking that these descriptions were unnecessary and the music can stand on its own merits.
JC.
Jacob Karlzon 3 - Shine Released on ACT on September 15

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