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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.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Paul Edis Sextet @ Gala Theatre, Durham, Mr Hipster tour, October 13

Paul Edis (piano), Graham Hardy (trumpet & flugelhorn), Graeme Wilson (tenor & baritone saxophones), Kieran Parnaby (trombone), Mick Shoulder (double bass) & Adam Sinclair (drums).
(Review by JC).
As BSH has already reviewed the Sextet's Mr Hipster CD and the album launch at Sage Gateshead, there is not an awful lot left to say except that everything Lance and Russell have said is true. What a great band, playing great compositions!
Durham is Paul Edis's home town so when the album review says that the opening number The Timothys has a township groove, this township is Durham. The band leader was in chatty form and opened his remarks by explaining that this concert was part of the Mr Hipster tour and naturally enough asked how many hipsters were in the hall. Of course, the jazz fans of Durham are far too hip to respond to that kind of question and I would have thought that less than half the audience put up their hands.
The sextet played most, if not all, of the tracks from the album and what comes across is the complexity and diversity of the musical inspirations for the pieces and the structure and coherence of the musical composition. The musical fun of Mr. Hipster, the exotic feel of Eastern, the Spanish tinge to Knight Errant; all are played with solos of consummate precision and a terrific ensemble sound. The track based on a twitter interaction with John Prescott (can he really have 100,000 twitter followers as PE suggested? who could they be?) Better than a Punch in the Face is counter pointed by the Mingus inspired Ah Um who Edis said might wade in the audience and punch someone who was talking too loud - better no talking than a punch in the face, maybe? Then there was Serial for Breakfast inspired by Arnold Schoenberg during which a moth appeared fluttering over the stage, presumably the spirit of Schoenberg checking out on how the band was doing. After about 30 seconds it flew off, no doubt more than satisfied. Dorian Grey was a cautionary tale about an ageing hipster and the sextet also played a tune from the first album for Mr. Edis senior, Blues for Dad, although surely it should have been Blues for Daddio in this context.
Throughout, the playing of Paul Edis was exemplary, particularly on the romantic Missing You and a touch of stride on Ah Um. He also played an exceptional solo piece, The Skye Boat Song, which was a nod towards the political excitement of the Scottish referendum.
As has been said, the sextet is full of great musicians and the solos from all of them were top drawer. At the end it was announced that the trombone player, Kieran Parnaby, was deputising at short notice and I have to say he did a great job. The setting of the Gala Theatre was very good with the band filling the stage and while some recent jazz gigs have featured multiple videos and all kinds of technological gizmos the Gala outdid them all with the most dry ice I've seen outside of a Tynemouth sea fret.
The sextet is on again in Hexham tonight (Saturday October 18). Not to be missed!
JC.
ps: The album is terrific!

1 comment :

Hugh said...

Great gig in Hexham too. No hipsters in the audience. The only ice was wet, and was in the drinks.

Paul and the boys were on fine form. Being held in the Little Angel Cafe, rather than the Queen's Hall, there were one or two residual diners, who continued to talk through the music. No punches thrown though! Luckily for the rest of us, they left before the second set.

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