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Bebop Spoken There

Wendell Brunious: "Because the blues is not 1,4 and 5 or 1,4,5,2,1. You could wake up with a flat tyre or a headache this morning, that's the blues, man" - (DownBeat, Oct. 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

15878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 885 of them this year alone and, so far, 83 this month (Sept. 30).

From This Moment On ...

October

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Tue 03: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums). CANCELLED!

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00. POSTPONED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 06: Alcyona Mick @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 2:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Balo @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Fri 06: Lexer/Mayes/Noble + Semay Wu + Miman @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Vault, Hexham. 7:30pm. £20.00. Book in advance. Moreno with Alan Law, Paul Grainger & John Bradford.
Fri 06: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. 'Celebrating Oscar'.
Fri 06: Nu Brass Sounds: Big Brass Bash @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: TBC @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 07: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 10:15am. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Hot Club du Nord @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 07: Bugge & Niccols + Moore & Fairhall @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - All the Things You Are. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 07: Rie Nakajima @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Sat 07: Samuel Blaser Trio + Toxvaerd & Zeeberg + Muramatsu & Welch @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Zoë Gilby Quintet + Ubunye @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Line-up inc. Tony Kofi. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 08: Tommy Bentz Band @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. USA blues band.

Wednesday, April 05, 2017

GIJF Day 2: Three Nations Under One Groove: NYJO, NJJO, BuJazzO @ Sage Gateshead - April 1

(Review/photo by Russell)
This concert performance by three of Europe’s finest youth jazz orchestras was under negotiation before the result of the 2016 EU referendum was known. Sage Gateshead determined to proceed with the event, the third and final date of a short British tour. Three nations represented by NYJO, NJJO (Germany) and BuJazzO (Holland). The respective MDs put their heads together – NYJO’s Mark Armstrong, NJJO’s Martin Fondse and American ex-pat Jiggs Whigham batting for Germany – to agree a programme and workable format to present something like seventy-five musicians at this thirteenth edition of the Gateshead International Jazz Festival.

Sage One – Sage Gateshead’s principal, world-class concert hall – accommodated all three of the orchestras, such are the stage dimensions of the Norman Foster-designed facility (see photo – 75 musicians!). NYJO’s Mark Armstrong assembled his charges to play an opening number (the MD’s own composition The Hunt), later turning to the audience to explain the format; a short, introductory statement from each of the three bands, followed by a European mix-and-match of musicians. The sections comprising British, Dutch and German musicians, readily identifiable in their band t-shirts, working together in pan-European co-operation, reading parts, acknowledging and encouraging a new section mate to their left or right. Every chair occupied by the best around – these are audition bands incorporating the very best young musicians – it became apparent that some big hitters sat out from time to time, biding their time, not unlike the football world’s Premier League squad player sitting on the bench counting his money, the difference being these young musicians at Gateshead were doing it for the love of it.

NYJO’s short set, with Alexander Bone in the line-up (that’s the standard), included the Gershwins’ ‘S Wonderful, and it was some kinda wonderful. NJJO (Nationaal Jeugd Jazz Orkest, Holland), or, ‘Young Oranje’ as they’re known, played parts of a suite written by Musical Director Martin Fondse. The Future is Now heard, variously, Robot Taxi, Introduction to Poetry, Partical Fever and Walking Across the Atlantic – this Fondse’s concept of a dystopian, robotic near-future. NJJO’s vocalists – Anna Serierse and Sanna Rambags – performed with distinction (Norma Winstone would surely approve) singing in English. British and German musicians sat in the various sections, a trans EU affair.

BuJazzO is the official national youth jazz orchestra of the Federal Republic of Germany. The full name of the band – Bundesjazzorchester – is guided by Niels Klein and Jiggs Whigham. This Sage Gateshead engagement was overseen by Whigham. A Kenton man to his fingertips, the American, dressed casually (flannels and jacket), presented a Stan Kenton programme. At the request of Mr Whigham the audience reserved its applause for the end of the performance.  The Gerry Mulligan arrangement of Young Blood, then Kenton’s 1956 Afro-Cuban recording of Johnny Richards Cuban Fire! took centre stage. Whigham stood in front of the horns, directing from memory, fine-tuning the reeds, turning his attention to the ‘bones, then priming the multinational trumpet section. Occasionally referring to the score, turning a page, Whigham got in amongst the rhythm section, hearing something, asking for, and getting, a rehearsal room refinement to the score.

The concert drew to a close with all seventy-five musicians taking to the stage. Sage Gateshead’s audience showed its appreciation. A major undertaking, an undoubted highlight of the weekend.    
Russell.
 NYJO: Mark Armstrong MD; Maria Rehakova (flute); Tom Smith. Alex Bone (alto saxophones); David Healey, Tom Ridout (tenor saxophones); Chelsea Carmichael (baritone saxophone; Anna Drysdale (French horn); James Davison, Tom Syson, Cameron Johnson, Harry Evans, Christos Stylianides (trumpets); Chris Valentine, Maddie Dowdeswell, Rory Ingham, Ed Parr (trombones); James Maund (bass trombone); Nick Fitch (guitar); Joe Hill (piano); Jack Tustin (bass); Max Mills (drums); Johnny Mansfield (percussion)

NJJO: Martin Fondse MD; Camila Ortega (flute); Kika Sprangers, Koos Zuilhof (alto saxophones); Jesse Schilderink, Gerben Wasser (tenor saxophones); Emilio Tritto (baritone saxophone); Maxine Tegelaers, Davy Vreuls, Koen Smits, Ian Cleaver (trumpets); Jeroen Verberne, Seynabou Claerhout, Alex van Abeelen (trombones); Lars de Bie (bass trombone); Gijs Idema (guitar); Roberto van der Padt (piano); Frederik Mulder (bass); Tim Hennekes (drums); Joost Janssen (percussion); Anna Serierse, Sanna Rambags (vocals)


BuJazzO: Jiggs Whigham MD; Daniel Roncari, Freddy Mademann (alto saxophones), Adam Grabner, Victor Fox (tenor saxophones); Ole Sinell (baritone saxophone); Marko Mebus, Berthold Brauer, Matthis Rasche, Marvin Frey, Cay Schmitz (trumpets); Alistair Duncan, Philipp Schittek, Lukas Reinert (trombones); David Vernds (bass trombone); Philipp Schiepek (guitar); Bela Meinberg (piano); Andreas Pientka (bass), Alexander Parzhuber (drums)

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