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Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 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

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

CD Review: Ben Bryden - Glasgow Dreamer - The Music of Ivor Cutler

Ben Bryden (tenor, harmonium), Reinier Baas (guitar, piano, harmonium), Mark Schilders (drums), Tom Berkmann (bass).
(Review by Steve T)
According to the notes this is Indie Jazz and I may have been better prepared had I read it first and may not be the ideal person to review it.
The instrumentation is largely sax, guitar, bass and drums which several sources have told me is the new frontline of choice instead of trumpet and sax, which may be bad news for trumpeters and pianists. I personally think the sax and guitar play well off each other and I like the space created as the guitar switches from comping to soloing. 
The first couple of tracks put this to good use with strong melodies and the leader has a distinctive tone reminding me of someone but I can't think who, so if anyone hears it and has any ideas, please help me out.
For the most part the indie comes from the guitarist who adopts a jingly jangly sound favoured by mid-sixties beat groups before Clapton and Hendrix changed everything, and was revived post punk-rock while musicianship was still scorned which has mercifully receded in recent years.
No question of his ability, though his runs occasionally seem predictable, but the sound actually works very well.
On track three The Meadows Go we get the indie style as well as the sound and this is where the problem starts for me. I don't have a problem with fusion and believe all music is fusion at some level. Nor do I necessarily have a problem where the respective musics seem incompatible or even contradictory. Nevertheless, this didn't work for me, not least because I believe indie bands are more interested in creating media myths by constructing a perception of difference from other pop groups deemed less 'authentic'.
The next few tracks continue as before but the introduction of a harmonium, sounding like an accordion, on track eight 74 to Dumfries left me somewhat bewildered.
Apart from the two tracks, there's some good Jazz on offer and anybody into indie, Britpop, punk-rock or even sixties guitar groups may find it of interest, but it's not for me.
Steve T.
Glasgow Dreamer - The Music of Ivor Cutler - samples/buy.

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