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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

Tue 26: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Alice Grace Quartet @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 28: Faye MacCalman + Snape/Sankey @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 28: Zoe Rahman @ Jesmond United Reformed Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 28: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.
Thu 28: Speakeasy @ Queen's Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. £15.00. A Southpaw Dance Company presentation. Dance, audio-visuals, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, swing dancers etc.
Thu 28: Mick Cantwell Band @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Ace blues band.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.

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.

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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