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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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

17444 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 718 of them this year alone and, so far, 100 this month (Oct. 10).

From This Moment On ...

October

Sat 12: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Michael Woods @ Victoria Tunnel, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00. (£10.00. adv.). Country blues guitar & vocals.
Sat 12: Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.28, £11.16, £9.04. A two-track recording launch gig.
Sat 12: Stuart Turner @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues etc. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 12: Lapwing Jazz Trio @ The Ship Inn, Low Newton. 8:00pm. Free. New trio: Paula Whitty, Richard Herdman, Jude Murphy.

Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Emma Wilson @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 13: Catfish Keith @ The Cluny. 7:00pm. Country blues.
Sun 13: Cath Stephens & Paul Grainger @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Stephens & Grainger, one third of a triple bill.
Sun 13: Dulcie May Moreno Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by Nina Simone, performed by Nicholle Cherrie.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano), Paul Grainger (double bass), Bailey Rudd (drums).

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Cath Stephens’ improvisation workshop @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 4:30-6:00pm. Collaborative group focusing on vocal improvisations.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Olivia Cuttill Quintet @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 17: Moonlight Serenade Orchestra UK: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Thu 17: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Ragtime piano. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 17: Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. Guests Jeremy McMurray (keys); Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Mark Toomey (alto sax); Adrian Beadnell (bass). 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s, Crook. 7:30pm.
Fri 18: Chet Set @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Pete Tanton & co.
Fri 18: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm (upstairs). A Hoodoo Blues dance & social event. £10.00. class & social (£10.00., £7.50., £5.00. social only). Michael Woods (country blues guitar) on stage 9:00pm.
Fri 18: East Coast Swing Band @ Hexham Abbey. 7:30pm. £9.00.
Fri 18: Ben Crosland Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Durham University Jazz Society’s ‘High Standards’ @ Music Dept. Music Room, Divinity House, Palace Green, Durham University DH1 3RS. 8:009:30pm. Tel: 0191 334 1419. £7.00., £5.00.
Fri 18: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Blues Underground, Nelson St., Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

PARIS-SUR-TYNE @ The Lit & Phil January 24 (Afternoon Session)

(Review by Ken Drew/photos to follow)
In Love With –  Théo Ceccaldi (Violin); Valentin Ceccaldi (Cello; Sylvain Darrifourcq (Drums).
Straight in with a repetitive driving rhythm from Valentin leading to multiple crescendos interspersed with freestyle playing.  With very thoughtful and explosive passages – and such dynamic interplay!!  There were long spans of repetitive but intriguing rhythms, like a well-tempered whirring clock unwinding, always precise and developing with a slowly increasing intensity. At various points sounds were almost frozen in time – certainly they were hanging in the air.  It was like listening to music concrète performed live, and many sections wouldn’t be out of place as a film soundtrack.   
Constantly supported by percussion which was mostly but not entirely the sole domain of the drums with Sylvain augmenting his drum kit with an assortment of devices including bells, kitchen timer, and a zither which itself had various tonal attachments.  A rather sudden and brief ending closed the piece, but nicely brought together by the band. The audience were captivated by the intense playing – giving the trio a standing ovation at the end!!!!  
Liaisons Dangerouse -  Xavier Camarasa (piano); Andy Champion (Bass); Guillaume Aknine (Guitar); Corey Mwamba (Vibes).  
Taking a few minutes to establish each player’s credentials with solos exploring new ground, but with constant attention and backing from the other players.  There was much percussive output from each player - Xavier playing inside the piano (with felt mallets) and outside (the keys), and guitar adding atmosphere with processed guitar sounds and extensive use of bottleneck (used normally, percussively and scrapingly).  Andy demonstrated his improve versatility with the double bass (playing, plucking and bowing including the use of a felt mallet at one point) with Corey more subtle than voluminous in his thoughtful playing of the vibes (including the use of a bungee in place of mallets although it didn’t seem to stretch the notes!) thus fitting in well with the overall meandering soundscape. This was all about sonority and interplay, although background rhythms were often in evidence too.
Théo Ceccaldi  Trio - Théo Ceccaldi (Violin);  Guillaume Aknine (Guitar); Valentin Ceccaldi (Cello)
An unusual mix of instruments to say the least but like the previous set it was all about the band listening and developing (through improvisation) the overall sound.  Rhythms came and went – each member seemingly in charge as they took up the lead.  Valentin gave his all from quiet passages to manic bowing, and Théo was on fire too at various points throughout. Guillaume came to the fore at the end with an almost traditional use of the electric guitar – ably supported by Théo and Valentin, producing an overall complex sound with a strong rock-like rhythm.   What a journey this piece was.  Théo the maestro on violin!!! 
Garibaldi Plop   - Roberto Negro (Piano) representing the Italian component; Valentin Ceccaldi (Cello); Sylvain Darrifourcq (Drums).
Starting with a very gentle piano introduction by Roberto there was very thoughtful playing employing some interesting techniques and devices on the piano – including several well placed runs through all the keys, and with added effects including an attachment to the piano soundboard making tones like a musical saw !!    Overall Sylvain brought a varied and interesting mix of percussive and rhythmic support.  Generally the drums responded in kind to the other instruments, although occasionally they overpowered the piano but were well matched in supporting the cello in some nice interplay between the two.
Overall this was an exhilarating afternoon of (modern) jazz brought about by the high standard and energy of the players, and the mixing of the 8 musicians across the 4 sets.    To be fair I saw two people leave this session early – presumably they were expecting a somewhat ‘safer’ kind of jazz rather than modern improv incorporating thoughtful, inventive and often edgy performances which we were treated to.  And what a treat it was – such superb musicianship!!  The audience (60+ in numbers) were well rewarded for their attendance and their attentiveness.  The heartfelt thanks from the musicians confirmed it to be quite a special event for everyone involved.  A veritable success!!!
Ken.

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