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Bebop Spoken There

Billy Boy Arnold: “As long as you don't think old you're good.” - DownBeat, December, 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!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Postage

16034 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1041 of them this year alone and, so far, 73 this month (Nov. 27).

From This Moment On ...

December

Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ All Saints Church, Cleadon. 7:00pm. Concert in the church hall. BYOB.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Sid White. The best free show in town!

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 8:00pm. Free. Note later start time, concert performance (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay, Newcastle. 12 noon - 4:00pm. £26.00 (inc 3-course meal in in St Mary's Lighthouse Suite). SOLD OUT!
Thu 07: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 07: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.Donations. Feat. Mark Sanders. CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00. Downstairs.
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club: Just Friends @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. Guest band night w. Richie Emmerson, Ian Bosworth, Dave Archbold, Ron Smith, Mark Hawkins. 9:00pm.

Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle. 1:00pm. £7.00.
Fri 08: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Woodland Village Hall, Bishop Auckland. 7:00pm. £12.00.
Fri 08: Sleep Suppressor + Redwell @ Head of Steam, Neville St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv); £5.00. student.
Fri 08: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert's Church, Shadforth, Co. Durham.
Fri 08: Têtes de Pois + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £8.00.

Sat 09: Prudhoe Community Band @ Central Station, Newcastle. 10:00am - 12 noon. Charity fundraiser.
Sat 09: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Skinnergate, Darlington. 1:00pm.
Sat 09: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 09: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Middleton & Todridge Village Hall, Morpeth. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sat 09: Paul Skerritt @ Slaley Hall, Hexham NE47 0BX. 7:30pm. From £42.00.

Sun 10: Musicians Unlimited’s Xmas Party with Zoe Gilby Quartet @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. MU 1:00-3:00pm; Zoë Gilby Quartet 4:00-6:00pm. Tickets: £7.50.
Sun 10: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Funk Soul Sista @ Stack, Seaburn. 5:00-7:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Beth Clarke @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 10: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Whittingham Memorial Institute, Alnwick. 7:30pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 10: Tele-Port @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Zhenya Strigalev.

Mon 11: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 11: Interim Final Recitals @ Newcastle University. Details TBC.

Tue 12: Stu Collingwood Organ Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £10.00.

Monday, October 22, 2018

CD Review: Lionel Loueke - The Journey.

(Review by Max Goodall)
Benin-born guitarist Lionel Loueke is a composer and performer of fierce originality and individuality. For The Journey, his first release on French label Aparté, Loueke has reached deep into his rich pool of influences and musical interests, drawing out a really engaging album full of deep understated musicality.

Having performed with a who’s who of jazz throughout his career, the guitarist features an impressive roll call of high calibre musicians. The influence of Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista is particularly present, especially on tracks such as Bawo. The album, however, also features bassist Pino Palladino, Patrick Messina (solo clarinet of the Orchestre National de France), cellist Vincent Ségal and violinist Mark Feldman.

Baptista’s Brazilian percussion deeply permeates the album. However, it is Loueke’s African heritage which most constantly infuses The Journey’s musical makeup, particularly in the vitality and insistency of its rhythmic element.  Loueke says “I wanted the rhythmic foundation for this very special album to be deeply rooted in African rhythms and instruments… the foundation of my pulsation comes from my birthplace.”

 Loueke’s 15 original compositions on the album undulate between deep, intuitive ballads and more up-tempo, dance-flavoured tracks. The changes of gear, however, feel natural, and the album retains the sense of a coherent whole work. In fact, the flow between different feels and styles gives a really satisfying narrative feel to the album, journeying through Loueke’s musical world, and living up to the album’s title. Moreover, Loueke manages to find a way to blend his disparate influences into a harmonious whole. A first listen during a particularly sun-drenched morning revealed itself to be the perfect to explore this album.

Loueke’s playing throughout is understated in the best sense of the word. The complex textures he weaves in tracks such as Molika, and the networks of overdubbed guitar on Bawo (undoubtedly the album’s standout track) provide a soft textural bed for his similarly understated vocals to float above. Although, the contributions of percussionists such as Baptista are significant in the creation of The Journey’s sound-world, many tracks are rhythmically driven by the percussive native of Loueke’s highly original playing. His round and soft nylon tone defines the album’s sound. This is an album for lazy afternoons, relaxing within Lionel Loueke’s perfectly judged blend of elements.
Max
The Journey is released on Aparté Music AP184 on Nov. 2 2018.

Lionel Loueke (vocals, guitar); Pino Palladino (bass); Cyro Baptista (percussion); John Ellis (soprano saxophone); Christi Joza Orisha (percussion); Robert Sadin (keyboards); Dramane Dembélé (peul flute); Mark Feldman (violin); Patrick Messina (clarinet); Étienne Charles (trumpet, percussion); Ferenc Nemeth (percussion); Massimo Boclati (bass).

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