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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 23: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 4:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Mon 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Friday, May 04, 2018

Alan Barnes & Paul Edis @ the Lit & Phil - May 4

Alan Barnes (alto/clarinet); Paul Edis (piano).
(Review by Lance/photos courtesy of Jerry)
What better way is there to while away an hour than by listening to Alan Barnes and Paul Edis in the intimate surroundings of Newcastle's Literary and Philosophical Society?
The monthly miniature jazz concerts held in the venerable building are well-supported and justifiably so. In Paul Edis and Alan Barnes, you have the perfectly matched pair with each one seemingly reading the other's mind.
Opening up with Joyspring, the ideas just flowed from Barnes' innermost soul to emerge from the bell of his trusty Mark Vl alto. Not to be outdone, Edis too dealt himself a few aces before rounding off the number with the obligatory fours. Normally, fours leave me cold but, when done without a drummer nailing the floorboards down they are much more acceptable - and musical.
For Some Time Ago, a waltz by Argentinian composer/pianist Sergio Mihanovich, Barnes switched to clarinet remarking, in the process, of Tony Eales' strange dislike of the instrument. What's not to like? It was quite beautiful! Edis' final chord took everyone, Barnes included, by surprise.
Come in Senor Jobim, he's never far away. Corcovado, the mountain in Rio had our duo in bossa nova mode. The final fours or was it eights? saw their lines entwine contrapuntally. 
Apart from being a superb pianist, Edis is also a composer of merit and the next two compositions were his. Whiskers displayed both of those talents to the full. The head had a Monkish feel to it whilst the piano solo broke into a stride chorus. Barnes, needless to say, sight-read the part with ease and there were a few bars that may have saw a lesser player stumble, but not Alan Barnes although he did have to put his specs on.
The second piece, Breathless, was a waltz that Paul had adapted from an arrangement for trio and choir, Alan returned to clarinet (with a suitable aside to Tony Eales) for this one.
From here on in and on to the finish line, it was all Charlie Parker. Lover Man; Ornithology and Au Privave - and who better to play them?
Then it was all over! Could an hour really go by that quickly?
The applause for the two players was both deafening and deserving.
Come back soon - what am I saying? 
Alan Barnes is with the Durham Alumni Big Band at the Dolphin Centre, Darlington this Saturday (May 5) and with the Paul Edis Trio this Sunday afternoon (May 6) at Bondgate Methodist Church, Darlington - 2pm. Both gigs as part of the Darlington Jazz Festival.
The pair are also in church on May 17 at St. James' and St. Basil's in Fenham. 7:30pm. This is also Barnes with the Edis Trio. 

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