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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise April 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

15260 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 279 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (March 29).

From This Moment On ...

April
Sat 01: The Big Easy @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - In a Minor Key. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington DL1 5PN. 6:00pm. New venue, live jazz!
Sat 01: Jambone @ Sage Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (book online). A YMP! event in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 01: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Sat 01: Boys of Brass @ Stack, Seaburn. 7:00-9:00pm.
Sat 01: Hot Club du Nord @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth. 8:00pm. £79.00. A charity fundraising event.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED to next week (Sat 08).

Sun 02: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny. 12:45pm.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.

Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 04: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 04: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations. Feat. John Pope, Marie Shreer, John Garner.
Thu 06: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 06: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Note earlier start time.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 07: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 07: Finntet + Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.
Fri 07: TBA @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Blind Pig Blues Club.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

CD Review: Club d'Elf - Live @ Club Helsinki

John Medeski (keyboards), Brahim Fribgane (oud, voice, percussion), Duke Levine (guitar), Mister Rourke (DJ), Mike Rivard (bass, sinter, bass kalimba), Dean Johnston (drums) + Thomas Workman (flute).
(Review by Steve T)
I generally like to play albums three times to give them a chance to sink in. I recently reviewed a Ben Cox album after two but, following the third play, I felt I'd been a bit critical. Half way through the first CD of this, I had a strong suspicion it's a monster but played it again just to confirm it wasn't my desperation to find something above the rest.
Mogador opens things up with a piano trio and spoken electronica before the entrance of guitar which will play such an important part, followed by more piano virtuosity, accompanied by high-end bass which never lets up over two CDs, changing time signatures Jazzing things up and Indian sounds arriving towards the end.
Africa is a cover of The Gaylads which I wouldn't know so there must be another version, or something very similar. Some George Clinton style deep voiced master of ceremonies, underpinned by P Funk guitar, mellotron and some scratching; a role for vinyl you may think, beyond hanging its container on a wall, though I'm told CDs do this better as well as everything else.
Booloolu ups the world music stakes, reminding me of early Weather Report, amongst the first Western outfits to assimilate what we now think of as world music, without patronising it through superficial novelties.
By Hegaz you've got full-on sitar-like guitar which must be inspired by McLaughlin’s modifications in Shakti and, for Miles’ sake, Hammond too, bass kicking butt throughout.
The final piece of set one is Berger Song with some subtle Eastern violin and some more solid rock guitar.
Set two is more of the same, insomuch as don't be surprised by anything. Lots of flute, clavinet, bass clarinet and a hint of Miles electric style trumpet, perhaps a nod and a wink to Bitches Brew. There's more in the way of vocals, but anybody who wants ABBA, either the band or song-form, should probably look elsewhere. Anybody who likes sprawling, sweeping epics with a plethora of influences, should probably check this out.
The notes cite Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead, Studio One, John Cage, drum n bass, the Allman Brothers, James Brown, Fela Kuti and Sun Ra and, unsurprisingly, I'd like to add Zappa and prog rock. 
Bass player Mike Rivard and drummer Dean Johnston are the constant presence in this band and I can safely say I will travel anywhere in this country to see them live. No plans for a tour as yet but in the meantime, slap this on and turn it up, it may well be the future.
It's been out since January.    
Sample/Purchase.
Steve T.

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