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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Nigel Price Trio + Early Bird Band @ Jazz Café - September 16










Nigel Price (gtr); Ross Stanley (Hammond); Steve Brown (dms).
(Review by Lance/Photos courtesy of Mike Tilley)
Smokin' is the expression frequently used to describe organ based trios and, as such, it was no surprise that on a previous northeast gig (Ushaw College Jazz Festival) the fire alarm went off. Tonight wasn't a four-alarm alert but the atmosphere was certainly incendiary as the three guys lit the blue touch paper.
Over the years I've heard Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Jim Hall, Charlie Byrd, Tal Farlow, John McLaughlin, Martin Taylor, Alvin Lee and many other names - include Nigel Price on that Roll of Honour.
He was phenomenal! Irrespective of mood or tempo Price was in there exploring, creating, interpreting, an absolute delight.
Opening up with Wes Montgomery's Jingles, the groove was in. Loverman as a bossa led to Who Can I Turn to? A question I asked myself, sitting as I was between two delightful ladies. However, it was hypothetical as one left before me and the other left after me! Back to the music. The Anthony Newley song had a beautiful unaccompanied guitar intro before going into a nice easy swing. Angel Eyes practically brought tears to my eyes such was the execution of this saddest of songs.
The set ended with This Could be the Start of Something Big and it certainly was! 
So far I've only mentioned Price but the contribution of Ross Stanley on Hammond and Leslie was awesome. His approach, more subtle and restrained in comparision to some of the wilder double manual merchants who dance on the pedals and deliver forearm smashes to the keyboard, gelled perfectly with the guitar. Matt Home couldn't make this gig so who replaced him? Only Steve Brown! Him of the permanent smile and the prodigious technique - a British jazz legend.
Roll on Set Two!
Back in the 1930's Coleman Hawkins set down the benchmark for Body and Soul. Now, almost 80 years later the bar has been raised!
A long intro by Price took us on a fantastic journey - totally solo and without a safety net. This was a master painter - Django Rembrandt - at work. It couldn't get any better than this - or could it?
Yes!
Stanley and Brown slipped onto their respective bench and throne. We'd had the body now we got the soul as the tempo lifted. They soloed, they swung, they exchanged fours. Composer Johnny Green didn't turn over in his grave - I bet he got up and danced! 
There was more. Indian Summer, Wes' Four on Six (played as six on four!) Prelude to a Kiss (arguably Duke's most sensual ballad) and a rocking blues to finish that featured Steve Brown. Phew! There may have been an encore but I had a bus to catch - or did I float home on a cloud?
The evening began with the Early Bird Band, Paul Edis' young proteges who continue to develop. Indeed the rhythm section are pretty close to pro standard and didn't seem overawed by the headliners who were to follow. Without maestro Edis waving his imaginary baton the horns were a little hesitant at times but grew in confidence as the set unfolded. It may still be a work in progress but that progress is apparent upon every gig.
 James Metcalf, Ben Lawrence (tpts);  Andrew Hodges (tmb); Nick Caughey (ten); Philip Grobe (pno); Francis D. Tulip (gtr); Dan Lawrence (bs gtr); Matthew MacKellar (dms).
Lance.

1 comment :

Steven T said...

Pleased to see Francis acquitted himself well on his final North East gig as a North East resident. He has had consistency lapses in the past; he's never poor but he isn't always on fire. Last night he maybe wasn't on fire, but he was on form.
Dan and Whiplash don't have consistency issues and Dans' enthusiasm will be a miss.
Dr Phil proved an excellent foil for Francis, giving him all the space he needed and I'm always surprised by his solos. Between Lord Paul and the Dr, the next guitarist couldn't be in better hands. I can't wait for their next gig.
In defence of the horns, while all of the rhythm section are hoping for careers in music, some horns are, some aren't and some are undecided. OK I over-egged the sums. I thought James, one of the youngest in the band, was great doing the intros. People always think nervous makes poor but nervous makes human.
And what a power-house turn the Nigel Price Trio are. Best live band in the land? No. 1 son speculated.

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