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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, May 06, 2017

Paul Edis Sextet @ the Jazz Café - May 5

Paul Edis (piano); Graeme Wilson (tenor/flute); Graham Hardy (trumpet/flugel); Chris Hibbard (trombone); Mick Shoulder (bass); Adam Sinclair (drums).
(Review by Lance).
A Paul Edis gig is never without interest. Whether it be solo piano, duo, trio, sextet or big band there's always something there. It may be a group of youngsters taking their first tentative steps into Planet Jazz or a seasoned bunch of grizzly veterans who've got a wardrobe full of t-shirts; whatever, like Ellington, Edis maps out the charts to fit the crew.
Tonight's crew, A-listers all, did the music proud both individually and collectively. Most of the compositions were originals by the leader, although Graeme and Graham also contributed a couple of their own, to make for two well balanced sets.
The main things I like about the sextet are:
a): Everybody doesn't solo on every number.
b): The soloists don't do marathons.
c): Every number doesn't finish with a meaningless round of fours.
d): Bass solos and drum solos are kept at a minimum which is no reflection on Mick Shoulder and Adam Sinclair who are two of the finest on their respective instruments and appreciated all the more when they do get the nod whilst, at the same time, holding it all together like Gorilla Glue. Strong and stable was Edis' description - strong and stable indeed!
The music.
Sharp 9/8 - a bit of a Take 5 feel to it (give or take a couple of beats) particularly the piano/drum interaction at the end.
I Wish I Was a Monk - Quirky head as befits the title and the inspiration behind it.
Dorian Gray - Nothing to do with Oscar Wilde but a piece incorporating the Dorian Mode or, to be more precise, a minor scale with a major sixth (thank you Google). Hardy blew fine flugel and Wilson's tenor completed the portrait.
It's Been, It's Gone, It's Happened - Could have been written by Billy Taylor! Hardy, plunger perfect, and Hibbard reminding us that we don't hear enough of him these days.
Madeira - Brought the first set to a close. Wilson on flute.
The Pounce - During the intermission, one or two of the J-cops thought the first set had been a bit subdued. They changed their minds when this boppy opus by Graham Hardy hit the deck. Trumpet in full flight driven on by Sinclair, the applause was of the vocal variety!
Muddle Through - Trumpet, Tenor, piano and bass featured. They did much more than muddle through.
Cluster Flusters - Trombone to the fore.
Lost and Brand New Mountain brought my participation to a close as I prepared to catch my flight home (number 27) so didn't make any notes.
Here's to the next sextet session.
Lance.
Photos.

3 comments :

Russell said...

You're right - limited solo features, brevity the key to it all. A class act.

stevebfc said...

It appears the main things you like about the sextet are the things they don't do rather than the things they do do. If brevity is the key to it all think how much could be unlocked if they didn't play at all?

Lance said...

Less is more...

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