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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 2023).

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

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Monday, July 11, 2016

Durham Round-up

Mark Williams Trio @ Empty Shop July 7
Mark Williams (guitar); Paul Susans (bass); Russ Morgan (drums). 
(Review by Steve T/Photo courtesy of Trevor Williams).
My guess is that this was a similar set to the one he did at the Caff a few weeks back when Russell described him as 'on fire', and no arguments here.
Starting with Mark and Russ, Paul came in with some superb climbing bass reminiscent of One Word from Birds of Fire.
I realised I’d been listening to lots of acoustic basses recently and, while I love both, and they’re by no means interchangeable beyond function, it seemed like a breath of fresh air.
Whenever I see Mark I always end up wondering who he reminds me of; Pat Metheny is a given, but also pre-Mahavishnu John McLaughlin and Fred Frith, experimental guitarist with prog/Jazz/rock band Henry Cow, who likes to drop beads on his guitar.
Russ was using cymbals and bells, with Paul down on his knees attending his pedals and a bit of wah wah from Mark when I had to leave midway through side one for reinforcements from rehearsals elsewhere.
The Empty Shop seems to be limping nicely through the summer recess with about seventeen to start, rising to over thirty by the end.
Side two opens with more Jazz-rock, but with lots of freedom and I’m now thinking of Lifetime, Ross ringing his bells with bass to the fore and, just as it settles into a discernible rhythm, it’s away again with some more free improvising.
I generally prefer a Hammond in my Jazz guitar trio but this was Mark, but not as we know him, with a kick-ass bass way up in the mix.
The amiable Irishman became the enigmatic Irishman who finally spoke to inform us all the material was original and the next number – Scoff in Peacewould be the last.
Beginning with something as close to rock and roll as these are ever likely to get – somebody must have told them they’ll never pick up girls unless they play rock and roll and drink beer – it then settled into something far more subtle.
The audience had doubled during the course of the night and from the sound of applause, it sounded like it had doubled again. If this is what we can expect from the album, bring it on, they deserve it.
Paul Edis/ Early Bird Band @ St Cuthberts’ Church, Shadforth, Durham. July 8
Paul Edis (Piano, Flute, Alto, MD); Ben Lawrence (Piano, Trumpet); Nick Caughey (Tenor); Andrew Hedge (Trombone); Francis D Tulip (Guitar); Phil Grobe (Piano); Dan Lawrence (Bass); Matthew Mackellar (Drums).
(Review Steve T/Photo courtesy of Alison Fenton)
Lord Paul got things going with a solo piano set but, as the mother of Early Birds Dan and Ben Lawrence said in her introduction, he’s more than just a solo pianist. While most pianists think people have their eyes closed because they’re entranced by some deep and meaningful outer-body experience, Paul realises they’re asleep and tries to keep his sets chirpy and varied.
He began with one of his own but I’m afraid I missed the title, followed by When You’re Smiling, Greensleeves and I Love you Porgy.
He welcomed Francis for a guitar duet version of his own masterpiece (to date) Vignette, the third time they’ve played it together and, while it lacked the magic of the first time, they had it more together than on the previous occasion, the only time his mother, who loves the sextet version, has caught it.  
At the jam session following GIJF singer Coco Rouzier told Francis he plays like he’s had his heart broken, and this was more in evidence than I’ve ever heard and continued  into his own composition Ballad for MR GW during the following set.
Francis and Paul both left the stage for Ben Lawrence, trumpeter with the Early Birds, to play a solo piano version of Some Day My Prince Will Come, as interpreted by Bill Evans.
Paul said Ben had upstaged him and it certainly could just as easily have been Paul and, when you consider brother and Early Bird bass player Dan also plays piano, French horn and writes and another brother Will plays trombone and I think they all sing, this is clearly a family to watch.
Paul was back up for another excerpt from Porgy and Bess and a personal favourite, insomuch as you can disseminate from the whole, It Ain’t Necessarily So.
A short break, a raffle and Lord Edis was back with his hand-picked teenage protégés. Ladybird, with solos from Ben, Francis, Dan, Paul and Matthew, followed by Little Sunflower with solos from Nick and (not real) Dr Phil and a fantastic fade with Paul on flute, Francis chipping in, horns in unison, then individually before guitar and bass went into A Love Supreme for a masterful ending.
A Francis original followed which Paul thought Blues for Big Steve but Francis had informed me earlier that it is called Blues for You. Solos on trombone, sax, bass, - breaking the tradition of one bass solo late in the set – drums and some divine ivory tinkling from Dr Phil, settling into the band nicely. 
A couple more Francis originals: Effortless Presence and Ballad for Mr GW, followed by A Jazz Musician always Lies by Dan Lawrence.
The final piece is Manteca by Dizzy with Matthew drumming up a storm going into a great rhythm, Nick and Francis chasing him, Paul switching from alto to flute and back, Dr Phil with another fine solo and Matthew, as ever, making it all seem effortless.
The night was organised by the parents of the Lawrence brothers and raised almost £600 for Syrian refugees relocated somewhere nearby, which is fantastic.
The Birds were up Early again the next day to record six pieces, so look out for that. 
Steve T.

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