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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, October 22, 2016

Vasilis Xenopoulos with the Paul Edis Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest. October 21

Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor saxophone), Paul Edis (keyboards), Ken Marley (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums)
(Review by Russell/photo from archives).
8:00am Friday. Are you available for a gig tonight at the Traveller’s Rest, Darlington? Ken Marley answered in the affirmative. The former Voice of the North Jazz Orchestra double bass player made the journey across the Pennines at short notice to work with a regular visitor to Darlington, the one and only Vasilis Xenopoulos. It has been several years since bassist Marley featured in these BSH pages. It was, perhaps, a Voice of the North concert, or a memorable Marley septet gig at the Cluny in Newcastle. Whenever, wherever, it was way back when.
Tenor saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos is a favourite at Opus 4 Jazz Club. This October date is a fixture in the calendar (he’ll be back next year!), attracting fans from Tyneside to the north and Yorkshire to the south. From the walls of the upstairs room hang large portraits of the jazz greats. Over Xenopoulos’ left shoulder Dexter Gordon looked down. Vasilis likes Dexter, Dexter would have loved to hear Vasilis play! Darlington’s regular crowd loves to hear Vasilis play. They were queuing on the stairs well ahead of time. A sense of anticipation hung in the air…
 Hank Mobley, then Dexter Gordon opened proceedings; This I Dig of You, Opus 4 Jazz Club digs Vasilis. The London-based tenor player is currently developing a suite – Exile. A recording/touring project for next year, Darlington got a sneak preview hearing Part II. Ken Marley, like the rest of us, hadn’t heard the music, but that didn’t stop him excelling, contributing one of several accomplished solos, an ace dep if ever there was one.

But Beautiful took it down, superb tenor playing, then the set closer, Four Brothers. The dynamism as thrilling as ever, a fabulous first set.

What of the second set? Fabulous, as simple as that. A Dexter Gordon arrangement of   Billy Eckstine, Lee Morgan’s Cesora and another Xenopoulos original composition The Courtyard just three of many highlights. What of Paul Edis and Russ Morgan? The best in the business, as simple as that. Edis’ solos were never less than top drawer with Vasilis listening intently, the tenor man similarly appreciating the ‘in the spotlight’ contributions of the depping  Marley and drummer Russ Morgan. Ornette Coleman concluded matters, not withstanding, a fully deserved encore.

Tomorrow (Sunday 23) at eight o’clock, Vasilis Xenopoulos returns to the Black Bull in Blaydon to do it all again. This annual Blaydon Jazz Club date will see Xenopoulos once again in the company of Edis and Morgan working with another depping bass player, the one and only Mick Shoulder. Admission on the door is £7.00.. Arrive early or you could find yourself standing at the bar (an appealing proposition, for some!). Lyrical, swinging tenor playing is your thing? The Black Bull (NE21 4JJ), eight o’clock, is the place to be.

Russell.                        

2 comments :

Patti D (on F/b) said...

Can't miss this one.

Anne DeVere (on f/b) said...

Sigh...

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