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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Fishwick: “I can’t get behind the attitude that new is always somehow better than old” - Jazz Journal, April 15, 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!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Postage

16034 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1041 of them this year alone and, so far, 73 this month (Nov. 27).

From This Moment On ...

November

Tue 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval NE25 0AT. 12:30pm. ‘Afternoon Jazz Tea Party’ £12.00. Tickets from: 0191 237 3697.
Tue 28: Full Score & Durham University Jazz Orchestra @ St Oswald’s Church, Durham. 7:00pm. £8.00., £7.00. conc., £6.00. DSM. ‘Singing with a Swing’. In support of the Angel Trust.
Tue 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. £12.00., £10.00. Doors 7pm/Music 8pm.

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). Tickets: £25.00. inc. buffet. A Gatsby themed evening.
Thu 30: Jools Holland's R & B Orchestra @ Newcastle City Hall. 7:30pm.
Thu 30: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. Guest band night: Mark Toomey Quintet (Mark Toomey, sax; Paul Donnelly, guitar; Jeremy McMurray, keys; Peter Ayton, bass; Mark Robertson, drums). 9:00pm.

December
Fri 01: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 01: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 01: Paul Skerritt @ All Saints’ Church, Eastgate, Co. Durham. 7:00pm. Xmas Tree Fest.
Fri 01: Alligator Gumbo @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 01: Nu Sound Brass @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: Struggle Buggy w. Jim Murray @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 02: Paula Jackman's Jazz Masters @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 02: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm.
Sat 02: Tenement Jazz Band @ John Marley Centre, Newcastle. Swing Tyne Winter Social. £8.00. + bf. Advance purchase only, no admission at the door. BYOB. Lindy hop workshop from 11:00am. £39.00.
Sat 02: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Masham, Hartburn Village, Stockton. 7:00pm. Feat. Noel Dennis.
Sat 02: Classic Swing @ The Nuthatch, 9 - 11 Bedford St, Middlesbrough TS1 2LL. 7:00-9:00pm. Classic Swing in trio format.
Sat 02: Paul Skerritt w. Danny Miller Big Band @ Westovian Theatre, South Shields. 7:30pm.
Sat 02: Vermont Big Band @ Whitley Bay FC. 7:30pm. £10.00. (inc. hot buffet). Tickets available from WBFC’s Seahorse pub club house.
Sat 02: Milne-Glendinning Band @ Ponteland Social Club, Northumberland. 7:30pm. £18.00 (inc. stotties & soup supper). A fundraiser for Hexham Constituency Labour Party.
Sat 02: Tom Remon & Laurence Harrison @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. Xmas party night inc. buffet & special raffle. £3.00.
Sat 02: Groovetrain @ The Unionist Club, Laygate, South Shields. 9:00pm.

Sun 03: The Central Bar Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. The Central Bar Quartet plays Lou Donaldson’s Gravy Train. Featuring Jamie Toms.
Sun 03: Paul Skerritt @ Smith’s Arms, Carlton, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:00pm.
Sun 03: Johnny Hunter Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 03: Jam session @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.

Mon 04: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 04: Michael Young Trio w Lindsay Hannon @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: James Birkett Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Mon 04: Durham University Jazz Orchestra + Durham University Big Band @ Durham Castle DH1 3RW. 8:30pm. £6.00.; £5.00. concs; £4.00. DSM. ‘Jazzy Christmas’.

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Motherese + Zoe Gilby Trio + Jennifer Parry @ The Lit & Phil - March 8.

(Review/photos by Ken Drew)
The second in JNE’s Women Make Music series for 2016 performed at the Lit & Phil, Newcastle, on International Women’s Day featured three bands.   
Motherese  - Aby Vulliamy (v); Laura Cole (p); Maria Jardardottir (voice)
 A set comprising all-original music written for this Women Make Music performance (with an eye on taking it on tour I’d imagine).  Starting with ‘JFDI’ an expressive piece which although having quite a bouncy rhythm, had many lyrical sections, along with appropriate outbursts which conveyed the meaning of the title.  An excellent start by the trio, all on form from the start.
Second tune was by Laura (with assistance from others at home apparently).  A dramatic format from the piano providing a background to the random interjection of words. This piece came together very well, leaving a strong impression but with some eerie sounds too, leading to a quite intense section with Laura leading on the piano, then more vocalese culminating with a simple piano finale.   Quite an epic piece all round, making good use of the acoustic properties of the Grand piano.
Then a short improvised piece by all the women performers of the night ‘Unfinished Sentences’. Speaks for itself - a reflection of the domestic environment! 
Back to the trio, a folksy intro (really?  Yes it was) sang in perfect 3-part harmony.  Very lyrical with clear vocals segueing into an improvised section then back to the simple but lyrical 3-part harmony. Quite an extended complex piece, and well received!
Continuing with ‘Oops Dolores’ selected by the audience who took the offer of a ‘challenging’ piece from Aby.  Introduction by Aby providing a strong staccato riff on violin, then with vocal and piano accompaniment – part scored and part improvised.
And finally time for a concluding piece. The intro was a simple canon (3 part harmony again)  then over to the piano for the full introduction. Again, Laura really made use of the Grand – producing a beautiful sound both masterful and near-anthemic. The song was about ‘endings’ and ‘starting something new’, itself ending with the simplicity of the vocal harmony.   
A great set, warmly received and much appreciated by the audience.
This was preceded by Jennifer Parry with her experimental interactive Multi-Media performance.  The scene was set – a covered but self-illuminated figure knelt in front of the video screens, two displaying a journey along a railway line, the third a serene seaside beach scene.  The accompanying sound a mix of distant rain forests and its noisy inhabitants, overlaid with throbbing rhythms and vaguely tuneful riffs – ok, it’s a layered  soundscape with an occasional voice repeating ‘Is this  Real?’.   The figure rises, and slowly interacts with chosen members of the audience, whispering to each, and passing a ‘gift’ then moving on.  The music builds in intensity until finally the throbbing fades leaving only the sounds of the distant rain forest.  The final question remains – ‘Is this Real?.   The audience reflects on the 15-minute performance, then applauses enthusiastically.  Well, it makes you think!
The evening began with The Zoe Gilby Trio   Zoe Gilby (vocals); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (bass) with her own compositions, including new material for this performance.
Starting with ‘Breathing’, from her solo loop project, a very slow and sultry rendition with very clear vocals perfectly matching the acoustic setting of the Lit & Phil.  Then a short segue of vocalese and ethereal guitar sounds into ‘Believe’ (surely this is self-penned?).  Captivating!!!  Vocals sitting perfectly above the bass and guitar which provide a subtle but discernible   vehicle for the vocals to ride on. Yes - it was self-penned.  Nice one!!
Next, a cover version from a Peter Gabriel album (Scratch) ‘Mother of Violence’.  Again clear vocals above the bass (bowed) and guitar.  The final song was an extended version of ‘Red City’ starting with a seque-type introduction, setting the scene of the streets of Marrakech including the sounds of the street and distant wailings. Then into the song proper, at a wonderfully laid back pace, then the outro.  An absolute Class performance!!  This should be released as an EP, and then nominated for a Mercury Prize. 
 Overall, a superb acoustic performance by the trio, matching perfectly the acoustics of the Lit & Phil and the celebration of Women in Music.  With Zoe providing a variety of musical styles and constantly stretching out and pushing herself to find new bounds.  And it works!!
Ken Drew

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