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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, October 13, 2018

CD Review: Ayn Inserto Jazz Orchestra - Down a Rabbit Hole

(Review by Dave Brownlow) 
Ayn Inserto, a brilliant composer/arranger who’s reputation has gradually increased since lodging her first ensemble in 2001. Her innovative writing is fresh, imaginative, inspired, full of surprises and unlike anyone else in the current scene. Once a pupil of the late Bob Brookmeyer, I can detect his influence here and there, but her own unique style is now fully formed with an abundance of ideas.

Three and Me: Features the three main soloists - Jones, Fedchock and Garzone in a typically complex piece. The strong rhythm section holds down an aurally-different base as themes and counter-melodies emerge and depart amongst organised “disorder.”


BJ’s Tune: A vehicle for Jones the trumpeter, arranged by Ayn and showing a style favoured by Brookmeyer where the theme is fragmentary – short musical ideas, linked by muttering drums as Jones’ melodic trumpet solo wends its way through richly null orchestral statements.

Mister And Dudley (the names of Fedchock and Wharton’s pet dogs) catch the mood of two playful, friendly animals where frisky theme statements combined with a fluent trombone solo from Fedchock form a swinging saunter in the park.

Down a Rabbit Hole: A composition first heard on his 2015 release Home Away From Home. We tumble around a supercharged descent down a magical vortex of a rabbit hole with seemingly endless strands of music bursting forth in an imaginative ‘wonderland’. Garzone features here with a forceful, authoritative contribution shouted on by dramatic figures from brass and reeds.

Part 1: Ze Teach and Part2: And Me is the two-part centrepiece of the CD. Firstly, a haunting theme in a swinging medium tempo is imaginatively delivered, introducing Randy Pingrey’s thoughtful solo in three segments. As usual, unexpected harmonies abound throughout.
Part2: And Me – somewhat Brookmeyer influenced – A powerhouse statement driven by the uncompromising rhythm team. Again, melodic fragments are introduced and developed in a complicated but joyous framework for Chase on soprano and Stone on alto to solo through. ‘Fiendishly difficult’ parts are seemingly effortless for this band. I’m impressed!

I’ll Be There – the Motown song – is completely re-imagined by Ayn as a gentle, warm, reflective ballad begun by a ‘Debussian’ piano intro from Yeager, then Claassen on flugel (the melody), the agile Rosenthal on trumpet and some exquisite writing for the clarinets to bring this album to a quiet close.

Crazy like a fox, Inserto has created her own musical Wonderland with her orchestra, a sensational universe easily accessible with a little step down a rabbit hole…” says the press release: I couldn’t put it better myself.
Dave B.
CD available now on Summit Records DCD 732 from: www.ayninserto.com

Ayn Inserto (leader, composer, arranger); Jeff Claassen, Bijon Watson, Dan Rosenthal, Matthew Small (Trumpets); Randy Pingrey, Chris Gagne, Garo Saraydarian (Trombones); Jennifer Wharton (Bass Trombone); Allan Chase, Rick Stone, Kelly Roberge, Mark Zaleski, Kathy Olsen (Reeds); Eric Hofbauer (guitar), Jason Yeager (piano), Sean Farias (bass), Austin McMahon (drums) + guests: John Fedchock (trombone); George Garzone (tenor); Sean Jones (trumpet)
On Track 5: Mike Tomasiak (tenor); Jerry Sabatini (trumpet); Tim Lienhard (trombone); Jamie Kember (bass trombone)


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