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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.

Tuesday, May 08, 2018

Issie Barratt’s Interchange @ The Parabola Theatre, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, May 6

 

(Review by Alison Bentley)

A year ago, baritone player, composer and jazz educator Issie Barratt brought together a band of ten women she had always wanted to work with, to play ten pieces composed by women. Although she travels a lot working with European big bands and orchestras, she told us, ‘I’ve never conducted another woman; I’ve never been programmed with another woman, and I’ve never actually played in an ensemble with a woman before… I decided I needed to be a bit more proactive.’

The styles were up to the composers, and accordionist Karen Street’s piece Still Here had a Piazzolla feel with touches of folk (some Balkan rhythms) and brass bands. The ensemble textures were at first soft, like the sun on the grass outside, then more urgent, with a plaintive solo from trumpeter Yazz Ahmed.


Tori Freestone’s Spontaneous Symmetry was inspired by ‘patterns in nature.’ It brought to mind Alexander Calder mobiles, where shapes move to create simple or complex, clashing formations: from township-like triads to dark swirling moods. Arpeggios spilled out into Brigitte Beraha’s pure-toned vocal solo. Freestone’s gorgeous tenor sound smoothed her unusual, almost spiky phrases.

Beraha’s composition Donna’s Secret (the title of their forthcoming album), was dedicated to the novels of Donna Tartt. Beraha’s French phrases were echoed in English by bassist Charlie Pyne. 

Later Pyne sang precipitous intervals in harmony with Beraha - while playing double bass; then she scatted in unison with her bass over Katie Patterson’s skipping rimshots.  Helena Kay’s thoughtful clarinet solo rode the waves of repeated chordal phrases.

Their repertoire includes music by non-members too. Nikki Iles’ Negomi was Kenny Wheeler’s back-to-front name for her daughter Imogen, and the music clearly carried Wheeler’s stamp. 

The arching melodies swept over each other, bari and trombone (Emma Bassett) earthing everything. Freestone’s tenor phrases were like stepping stones across the complex chords.

Issie Barratt’s Kulning ended the all-too-short set with humour and skill. ‘Eventually, you will hear a herd of cows heading our way, so I suggest you run for cover at that point!’ she warned us, as the piece was based on a song used by Swedish women to summon cows. Barratt likes music that ‘tells stories’ and Kulning was almost visual: Beraha’s call over recorded cowbells and birdsong drifted into harmonised horns in 7/8 riffs, and Shirley Smart’s sonorous cello solo. As bari and trombone pushed against flute and clarinet, the cows came home in an atonal rush.

This was a quietly confident band, full of sophisticated music and improvisational skill. There was only time for half their repertoire, and I’m looking forward to hearing the rest.

  

Alison

 


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