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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Sunday, December 03, 2017

Jasper Høiby Masterclass @ The Music Department, Durham University - December 2

(Report by Russell)
Lunchtime, Saturday, Palace Green. The ‘Green’ was covered by the biggest marquee ever seen this side of a so-called ‘high society’ wedding ‘do’. A Christmas market, three quid admission and the place was buzzing. The adjacent Durham Cathedral was open for business, doing very nicely, as was Durham Castle on the other side of the temporarily covered ‘Green’, thank you very much.

Durham University Jazz Society invited Jasper Høiby to conduct a masterclass on Palace Green. The London-based Dane happened to be ‘up north’ in Wakefield on Friday evening with his band Fellow Creatures and an afternoon engagement in Durham the next day appeared to be an ideal arrangement for all concerned as Durham Cathedral’s bells rang out.
Bells pealed, and pealed, and pealed. Durham University’s ancient Music Department was hosting a symposium about something or other in a room to the left, and turning right through the door, the masterclass, soon to begin, would be conducted in peace once the bell ringing was done. DUJS’s Dan Garel and Tristan Bacon were making last minute preparations prior to bassist Høiby’s arrival,  and a student colleague was doing something important on a laptop. The Dane arrived and made for the first floor common room. Student musicians, the masterclass participants, started to arrive, student style, ie. in their own time. The stage set, Steinway grand at one side, Tristan’s drum kit at the other (in front of another, covered, Steinway).

Bells pealed, and pealed, and pealed. A relaxed Høiby strolled in, water, possibly coffee, in hand. Final year music student Dan Garel (seen and heard on killing alto at the Jazz Café’s jam session) introduced Mr Høiby to the still arriving students. Bells pealed, and pealed, and pealed. The Dane suggested that some of the participating students take to the stage to play a couple of numbers to enable him to gauge their abilities. Dan leapt into action…get the A-Team on stage! Dan, Tristan, bassist Dylan Purches (would Høiby be protective or hypercritical of a fellow member of the bass players’ union?) and pianist Sander Priston were among the first to give it their best shot.

Bells pealed, and pealed, and pealed. The Music Department is but a stone’s throw (oops!, sorry Bishop, we’ll phone for a glazier) from the pealing bells. A blues (Now’s the Time comes in useful on such occasions!), then Have You Met Miss Jones? Short solos all round. What would the Dane make of their efforts? Good! Fine! said Høiby. The bells pealed, and pealed, and pealed. Your BSH correspondent wondered if Quasimodo would put in an appearance.

Høiby thought it a good idea to take a look at one or two of his compositions. As dots were passed around, the Dane took centre stage behind the front line, calling out chord and key changes, giving encouragement where needed, stopping at times to expand upon his writing methods and thought processes. Høiby quipped: You said the bells would stop! Dan: They will! Bells pealed, and pealed, and pealed.

Two hours later, with a number of changes in the student line-up along the way including Zach Fox on alto saxophone, and Honor Hornsby, trumpet, it was time to go. An approachable Jasper Høiby had conducted an enjoyable, informative masterclass, and, with the bells pealing, it can be said the day was an unqualified success. Esmeralda, where are you?                        
Russell

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