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Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey: "You [Bobby Watson] don't want to play too long, because you don't know they're clapping because they're glad you finished!" - (JazzTimes, Nov. 2019)..

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

15867 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 874 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (Sept. 25).

From This Moment On ...

September

Sat 30: John Pope Quintet + Late Girl + Shapeshifters @ Bobik's, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Sat 30: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

OCTOBER

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Tue 03: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums). CANCELLED!

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00. POSTPONED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 06: Alcyona Mick @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 2:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Balo @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Fri 06: Lexer/Mayes/Noble + Semay Wu + Miman @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Vault, Hexham. 7:30pm. £20.00. Book in advance. Moreno with Alan Law, Paul Grainger & John Bradford.
Fri 06: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. 'Celebrating Oscar'.
Fri 06: Nu Brass Sounds: Big Brass Bash @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: TBC @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

The Road to Hong Kong with Colin Aitchison - Part Five.

Q: For the technophobic, what horns do you play?
A: Great word Lance. Mainly I play trumpet & trombone, occasionally tuba or euphonium.
Q: The big one – how do you see the future of jazz?
A: This is a hard one and glad you left it till the last question.
The future of jazz is of course with the young and upcoming musicians. There are a lot of talented kids out there, with incredible techniques and range, but to be honest if I put on a current big band CD of a chase between 2 trumpets or 2 saxes, I can not tell who is who, they all sound the same, no individual style as in the past. On the other hand, if I put on an old album I can tell who it is without looking at the notes. Musicians had their own unique style. You could tell immediately if it was Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Roy Eldridge (trumpets)  or Jack Teagarden, Tricky Sam, Frank Rosolino (trombones)  or Johnny Hodges, John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins, (Saxes).

In the UK, I do not seem to find many young jazz enthusiasts in the audience. It is mainly the older generation who support the jazz bands.  This does not seem to be the case in Europe and certainly not here in Hong Kong and Asia.  There seems to be a developing interest amongst the young people here.
I also note that the term " jazz"  is used for a wide range of  of music that has nothing to do with the subject. Vocalists  are called jazz vocalists but they are really standard or pop singers. 
In my earlier days you had New Orleans, Dixieland (Trad), Swing (Mainstream) Be-Bop, Avangarde, Jazz Rock, Latin Jazz. Now we have Acid Jazz, Lounge Jazz, Hip Hop Jazz so where does one draw the line.
Another valid observation is that in the past "good old days", radio was the main media and folks would enjoy tuning in to jazz shows and big band live telecasts. The whole music industry is now marketed and enjoyed mainly through YouTube channels. I myself have created my "Nostalgia channels" and “China Coast Jazzmen” channel on YouTube and am encouraged to have over 2,000 subscribers to my channels, Ages range anywhere from young teenagers who simply love the songs and melody to 80 year olds who love reminiscing to the music they remember. There have been some lovely comments on the type of music uploaded for all to enjoy.
It's also rather disappointing to see that a lot of the famous jazz festivals, such as the North Sea Jazz Festival and Monterey Jazz Festival now feature artists who do not come into any jazz field, so  in fact,  these festivals should be re-branded as Jazz & Pop Festivals. For example, just recently here in Hong Kong we were supposed to have the North Sea Jazz Festival. This was  was cancelled due to the occupy central movement demonstrations, The main artists were going to be Joss Stone, Yuna, Laura Fygi. Now I have no idea what they have to do with jazz, maybe the odd solo from a horn or guitar, but to me they are not jazz artists.
I believe that an audience should be entertained. When you look at most bands who made it big whether it be Kenny Ball or Duke Ellington - they all had their spot to involve the audience, and at the end of the day, jazz started off as dance music, I do feel that when a musician attempts to use jazz as an art form expression in some ways it loses its appeal, but some do pull it off, I do think it is very hard for jazz to take on classical music in the concert hall.  As for myself, I will continue to entertain as well as play for the audience, and most of all have some fun.
Keep Swinging
Colin Aitchison (Bandleader)
China Coast Jazzmen
Ned Kelly's Last Stand
Hong Kong.

4 comments :

Brian Bennett said...

Great stuff, Colin! First the bestselling book. Then Ned Kelly's Last Stand - the Movie!

Steve Andrews said...

Well said, Colin. Most of what is marketed as "jazz" today would not be recognised as such by Armstrong, Parker, Ellington et al. I'm both amused and saddened when I read a "jazz" magazine nowadays to realise that I've never heard of 95% of the people referred to, and the other 5% are people like Jamie Cullum...........

Peter Maguire said...

I do so agree. The difference is that where once becoming a jazz musician was a vocation - it has now become a career move. There is no doubt that there have never been so many highly skilled instrumentalists - they have fluency - but often have nothing to say. There are of course exceptions - but they are exceptions.

We are in an era of striving to perform - the heroic solo. Never mind any emotional content - just watch the technique.

Jazz education is also teaching that anyone can write original material. This is complete tosh. One can learn it to a degree but there is no doubt that the ability to be able to produce original compositions is given to very few - and in fact often has no direct relationship of high level technique. For example Tadd Dameron - not a great soloist - but what fantastic originals.

Europe is rather different to the UK in terms of audiences. Much greater age range and musically literate.

Finally an almost complete disinterest among many younger musicians about the history of jazz, its performers, and its sounds.

Steve Andrews said...

I agree with everything you say, Peter, particularly your points about European audiences and musicians. I am continually astonished at the level of ignorance demonstrated by jazz musicians (actually, both young and old) and audiences in respect of the music they profess to love.

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