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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

15478 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 499 of them this year alone and, so far, 120 this month (May 27).

From This Moment On ...

May 2023

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 31: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 31: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 31: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

June
Thu 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations.
Thu 01: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 01: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: Joseph Carville Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 02: Claire Martin & Her Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £25.00., £20.00. Feat. Jim Mullen, Alex Garnett & Jeremy Brown.
Fri 02: Guy Davis + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm. Blues double bill.
Fri 02: Anders Ingram @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Country blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 04: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 04: Central Bar Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. £5.00. The Central Bar Quintet plays Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Featuring Lewis Watson.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 04: Struggle Buggy + Michael Littlefield @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues.
Sun 04: Swinging at the Cotton Club: Harry Strutters' Hot Rhythm Orchestra @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 04: Richard Jones Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

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).

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Tango Jazz Quartet @ The Globe - August 29

Gustavo Firmenich (sax & clarinet), Horacio Acosta (piano), Federico Hilal (bass) & Alejandro Beelmann (drums) + Debra Milne (vocal).
(Review by Lance).
Undoubtedly a first for the Jazz Coop and the Globe - an Argentinian Tango Jazz Quartet! I had initial reservations - I didn't know what to expect. Deliberately, I didn't YouTube them, I wanted to, hopefully, experience the 'Sound of Surprise' which is so often lacking in jazz today.
It wasn't lacking tonight - there were surprises galore!
Earlier in the day, the band had played a 'Milonga' that had tango dancers displaying their technique - and more - in the downstairs bar. (see separate review).
Several of those at the Milonga, lingered longer for the evening gig and I don't think they regretted it.
I'm not going to attempt to name titles - Firmenich's English is only slightly better than my Senegalese - but, music being an international language, - it didn't matter too much.
As someone who regarded the Tango as the squarest (slight pun in there) of all the South American dances - Bossa Nova, Mambo, Rhumba, Samba etc - I was quite amazed at just how great a groove this was! The band could be swinging, rocking, funking, jazzing or whatever, that tango rhythm was embedded in it all
Firmenich blows fruity tenor. Raspy, cutting edge, the man's got 12 fingers. Clarinet's the same. Croaky, throaty, plenty of glissando, Pee Wee lives! You want to learn jazz clarinet ? head for Buenos Aires!
On piano, Acosta varied from Jarrett-like intensity to an almost Debussyesque pastoral mode. But that was the charm of this unique band. Rarely did the tempo remain constant with mood swings aplenty! 
These senors are tension building maestros
Hilal played 6 string bass with a rare fluidity whilst Beelman incorporated the tango rhythm into the contemporary jazz/rock/fusion beat.
There was also a similar situation to the Louis Stewart story and the passing police car. On this occasion, it was an ambulance siren that was wailing. Firmenich didn't let it phase him simply holding the note until the siren faded. He hoped it wasn't for anyone present!
There was a surprise ending to the first set - a couple of numbers from our own Debra Milne!
Debra's O Level Spanish held her in good stead on Por Una Cabeza although I'd have preferred What a Difference a Day Made to be sung as Cuando Vuelva A Tu Lado!
The ground floor bar was crowded and the Wylam Gold Tankard went down a treat.
Photos.
Lance.

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