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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

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 7:00pm.

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.

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Followed By Thirteen @ The Jazz Café – September 27

André Canniere (trumpet); Esben Tjalve (piano); Henrik Jensen (bass); Antonio Fusco (drums)
(Review by/photo courtesy of – Ken Drew.) 
Opening with Bonza,  Canniere provides a gentle introduction before passing to Tjalve to develop on piano then Fusco on  drums with Jensen providing solid support throughout.  A confident opener for the band giving a flavour of and raising expectations of what was to follow. The Dutch Daneman began with a powerful trumpet lead before bursting into life courtesy of Jensen, Tjalve and Fusco’s driving rhythm. Even at this early point in the concert, the quartet demonstrated a tight interplay and support during the solo sections. The bass was ever present, keeping up with Fusco on drums with his very enthusiastic, yet accurate, playing. With some very intricate rhythms and powerful and exciting drum solo sections, overall the quartet produced a fine cohesive sound.
Jensen informs us this is the last gig of their current tour.  No wonder they were so tight as a band - we’re benefiting from all those recent ‘rehearsals’ on their tour, and greatly appreciated by the Newcastle audience.  Then an extended tune, again with good solos all round. Lively and quite complex in places but overall giving a good groove, engaging the audience every step of the way.   Finally in the first set, a quiet and slow intro from Jensen before passing to Cannniere who produces a slightly haunting tone, fleetingly reminiscent of the soulful sound of Chet Baker’s My Funny Valentine (to my ears anyway!). This turns out to be another extended piece ending with the trumpet and bass, underpinned by gently purring drums gradually diminishing into the background. 

Ricardo’s Room reflections of a time Jensen visited Italy. A slightly restrained groove encouraging some intricate cross-rhythms from Fusco – and the switches between sublime piano delicacy and full-band vibrancy were great to witness.   This then followed by another fast-paced piece with many intricate moments of rapidly changing rhythms – the quartet again holding it all together extremely well. And well received too!  A change of pace with Y’on ready? a gentle and sweet tune again with perfectly co-ordinated playing across the band led by Jensen throughout.  London Berlin took the tempo back up moving between hectic activity and somewhat calmer moments, maybe a portrayal of Jensen's experience of the two cities. The hectic elements gradually took precedence as all four players up the pace, Fusco seeming urging Tjalve's piano solo forwards. Landmarks had good and interesting solos from Fusco yet again. I noted the brief use of a plastic tube from his mouth to control the pitch of a specific drum – used sparingly but very effectively.  Finally, The Post Office a very lively piece and a good place to end – on a high!

Overall, very strong playing from all four, but the drums took my attention again and again by the intricacy and subtlety (or sometimes not) of the changes in rhythm aligning perfectly with the style and mood of each piece. But the overall standout was the band itself. What a great quartet with lively sound, always tight but allowing plenty of individual freedom too, playing to a select few who were richly rewarded for their attendance. Followed By Thirteen’s appeal is surely down to Henrik Jensen’s skill as writer, instrumentalist and leader coupled with the undoubted skills of his band members, resulting in an excellent concert from a superb international  quartet.
For this concert they played many tracks from their new album “Blackwater” and a couple from their first  “Qualia” – both worth checking out.
Ken Drew

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