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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

16051 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1058 of them this year alone and, so far, 12 this month (Dec. 6).

From This Moment On ...

December

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. CANCELLED!
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 Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. MU 1:00-3:00pm; Zoë Gilby Quartet 4:00-6:00pm. Tickets: £7.50.
Sun 10: Alan Law, Paul Grainger & Abbie Finn @ Darlington Market, Market Square, Darlington. 1:00pm. Free. A ‘Christmas Market’ outdoor gig. Wrap up warm!
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.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 13: Giles Strong Quartet @ Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Sunday, October 21, 2018

Olie Brice Quintet @ Jazz Café - Oct. 18

Olie Brice (bass); Mike Fletcher (Alto); George Crowley (Tenor/Bass Clarinet); Alex Bonney (Cornet); Jeff Williams (Drums).
 (Review/photos courtesy of Ken Drew)

The same line-up also appeared here 2 years ago. It went down well then, so would it be equally as enjoyable?  Not exactly - it was way more energetic, the pieces seemed to have an extra energy and vibrancy. Overall the quintet produced much more than the sum of the parts (i.e. the original compositions plus 5 players).  The compositions were influenced by musical and literary heroes of Olie's, and were wonderfully executed by each player’s musical freedom producing an exciting energetic sound which had everyone enthralled.  Such a tight, well-honed band, yet very adventurous both in the compositions and their delivery.  The music explores that wonderful space between the composed and the improvised, and succeeds!

 
'Aunt Nancy’s Balloons'  Sounding initially like a warm-up giving each player a chance to settle in and demonstrate their solo capabilities, this was a wonderfully free-feeling tune with an underlying melody, nicely demonstrating how the composition was taken to a higher plane in the hands of all concerned.
It seemed like it was in at the deep end - but it really outlined the shape of things to come.   A variety of tunes followed, each with specific yet obscure titles (of which Olie has described in some detail in his sleeve notes).   'Another Mad Yak'   'Red Honey - Yellow Honey'    Wow!  - powerful stuff amidst cries of  'Brilliant!!!'  from the audience at the end of Set 1. And well deserved too!

Set 2 - more of the same, strong blistering solos played around fine compositions.  'Older Busier'  'What might Be' (a ballad with bass clarinet) And an old 'favourite'  but deconstructed tune:  'If you were the only girl in the world ......' which slowly and finally resolved in the well-known melody, bringing smiles all round. And finally 'Day After Day'.   

Overall Brice succeeds as a composer, band-leader and player. What a wonderful result formed by these 5 superb musicians playing so superbly in a composed/improvised setting to bring Olie’s compositions to a vibrant stage. Tremendous!
Ken.
PS: The Jazz Alert publicity for this had provided a brief insight into what to expect: 

"Olie’s love for melody with plenty of space for free-ranging improvisation, the three-horn front line of Alex Bonney on cornet, George Crowley on tenor, and Mike Fletcher on alto provide a subtle blend of textured harmonies and open but measured intensity. With Olie’s own compelling bass playing and the impeccable drumming of former Stan Getz sideman Jeff Williams, this is a band that brilliantly balances the straight-ahead and the free, and unfailingly enthralls fans of both approaches."   

And so it was.........


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