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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Blind Monk @ The Jazz Café - Nov. 13










Bob Whittaker (ten); Hugo Harrison (bs); Johnny Hunter (dms).
(Review/bw photo by Lance/Colour photos courtesy of Mike Tilley).
Friday the 13th, unlucky for some, but not for those at the Jazz Café last night where the lads from Liverpool, the Blind Monk Trio, pleased all but the most discerning ears. Tenor/bass/drums trios are becoming more and more the norm these days both here, in Europe and New York and, with the absence of guitar or keyboard, allows the saxophonist a freer hand, carte blanche if you will, to travel where e'er he care to.
This, Whittaker did well only rarely trespassing beyond the bounds of sanity.
It took them awhile to acclimatise - literally! The saxman played the first set wearing a duffle coat (yes they still make them!) whilst Harrison sported a woolly hat. By contrast, Hunter was in almost Costa Del Sol apparel. As the set progressed, with most numbers containing an end of gig style drum solo, it was easy to see why! 
This was contemporary without anyone sending an urgent message to the RSPCA. Nor were there any poncy music stands or visible ipads - it came from the heart.
Mainly originals, often with quite quirky heads punctuated with pregnant pauses. This was music to keep you wide awake. My bottle of Geordie Jazz (A traditional bitter, amber in colour, it's maltiness offset with plenty of bitterness using traditional English Goldings and Fuggles hops) could have been re-named Scouse Jazz - the Fuggles and the Goldings were dancing in the bottle to the beat and this was to a tune that was almost a ballad - almost!
Come the second set, the woolly hat now sat atop of the double bass scroll with the duffle discarded.
They swung out, brother did they swing out. Hunter gave another end of set solo even though the set end was but a dot on the horizon!
Whittaker pitched in taking it to the limit. A slugfest 'twixt tenor and traps with Harrison as referee. No prisoners taken, no quarter given.
This was way out, and I use the expression advisedly, of my comfort zone yet I didn't mind. When somethings done well and effectively comfort zones cease to exist.
The music, as the name implies, hints at Thelonious Monk. Imagine Monk, blind drunk, and you've got the picture. They did actually play a Monk tune, the appropriately named Friday the Thirteenth.
There was also a Sam Rivers number but, in the main, original compositions by the three individuals.
There was a good turn out for a band which deserved nothing less.
Maybe I'll end up supporting Everton or Liverpool!
Photos.
Lance.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Boss trio, nice review. Blind Monk Trio regularly appear at The Caledonia, Liverpool -- always a great night. Cheers 🍻.

David Keighley (on F/b) said...

Cracking gig indeed!

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