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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

15245 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 264 of them this year alone and, so far, 77 this month (March 25).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 28: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 28: Sanaz Lavasani Trio + Abbie Finn @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 30: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. Back to 1:00pm stomp off. Free.
Thu 30: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Thu 30: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 30: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 31: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm. CANCELLED! Back next week (April 7).
Fri 31: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 31: Jasmine Myra + Waclaw Zimpel @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 31: The Revolutionaires @ The Shack, Boldon Colliery. 7:30pm. £10.00. The Revolutionaires' big band (horn section) line-up.
Fri 31: Andrew McCormack @ Maltings, Berwick. 8:00pm. £20.00.

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: 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.

Friday, December 08, 2017

The Improvisers' Workshop Ensemble - “Magic Mirrors" @ The Jazz Café - December 1

Nigel of Coalburns (Voice & Toys) / Gabriele Heller (Voice & Objects) / John Harrison (Saxophone) / Thomas Dixon (Saxophone) / Karen Rann (Saxophone) / Crispian Heath (Acoustic Guitar) / Martin Donkin (Electric Guitar) / Paul Taylor (Keyboards) Tobias lllingworth (Keyboards and other instrumentation) / Wesley Stephenson (Drums and Percussion)
(Review/photo by Ken Drew).
“Gathering monthly for sessions at The Bridge Hotel 'The Improvisers' Workshop' is a space where people interested in sound and improvisation gather to play, discuss and explore the nature and mysteries of improvisation. These sessions often result in different games and strategies used as vehicles for the improvisation that takes place. "Magic Mirrors" was such an idea that was conceived for a performance by the ensemble.
As a durational piece “Magic Mirrors” explores the space where a large group ensemble works in unison, and the way that unity dissolves and breaks into smaller groupings of players or soloists, which may also be symbolised by silence. Through mirroring and a Chinese whispers style of communication, the growth of the music is shaped by the decisions of the players and the way they choose to mirror, this could be rhythmically, tonally, texturally, emotionally or any such inspiration of their own choosing.”
Part 1:    A quiet start, building on individual notes & timbres, nicely demonstrating the use of voices as instruments, then building to include all performers. The rhythm of the piece changing many times, from steady to percussive single beats. Then it slowed to a more contemplative section, with the sounds of wafted paper ('other devices') taking over from voice. Then into a longer section of disparate sounds including vocal utterances from Coalburns, and wailing saxes. The piece continued to develop around the group where you could detect the flow of ideas being passed around. Pleasantly quiet ending, with keys (lllingworth) and small bells gently struck by Coalburns.

Part 2: This was a longer piece, introduced by shimmering notes on the keys (Taylor this time) and gentle sax (Harrison initially, then Dixon). Initially more meandering, but developing with the addition of voices and soprano sax. In fact getting quite heated as more voicings joined in, Heller in particular becoming quite frantic with vocal exclamations. The small bells rang and brought in a quiet section which heralded the introduction of a wide range of pitches and timbres from all. Then to close, the keys brought in a mellow flute-like tone to gracefully fade. This piece certainly explored the sonorous nature of a range of instruments, and their interaction, whilst still flowing as a single improvised piece.

Part 3:  Starting with a profound drum beat initiated by Stephenson, with saxes and voices joining in, this quickly became quite an energetic piece with all contributing. At one point it took on an almost marching-band funky rhythm, but only fleetingly. Then back to a quiet section, with Coalburns adding vocal effects sounding as if the wind were gusting outside, or maybe you were overhearing just the bass tones of a distant conversation.  No matter, a distinctly odd sound, but one which held the piece together as the others continued to exchange and interpret sonic ideas.  Heller and Rann then struck up such a conversation, taken further by Rann and Harrison to close the piece.

Overall, this was a good demonstration of live improvisation. Of the 3 pieces, I had no particular favourite, as they each flowed differently, yet each stood alone in their own right. I was actually struck by how different these pieces were, given the short pause between them giving time to ‘regroup’ their thoughts and start again from pure silence.   This performance was appreciated by the assembled audience, and a good advert for the output of the monthly Improv Workshops held by JNE at the Bridge.
Ken

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