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Bebop Spoken There

Delfeayo Marsalis: "Slide Hampton once told me that it's not always the person that is playing the highest or playing the fastest that's making the greatest impact." - (DownBeat March 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!"

Postage

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 21: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass guitar); Bailey Rudd (drums).

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller's Rest, Cockerton. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public). Note change of venue - this week only.
Wed 22: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Thu 23: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Bar Loco, Newcasatle. From 6:30pm 'til late. Free. Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra jam session. All welcome (students & non-students).
Thu 23: Kerrin Tatman + John Garner & John Pope @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 23: Sunna Gunnlaugs & Julia Hülsmann @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm. A two-piano gig. A Sage Gateshead-JNE promotion.
Thu 23: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano.
Thu 23: Sleep Suppressor @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00., £8.00. adv. Upstairs.
Thu 23: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Monday, May 27, 2019

CD Review: The Last Taxi - New Destinations


Chiara Liuzzi (voice, electronics, sound objects), Giorgia Santoro (flute, bass flute, bansuri, xiao, piccolo, voice, effects), Adolfo La Volpe (guitar, live electronics), Giacomo Mongelli (drums), Chris Rathbun (bass), Pat Battstone (piano).
(Review by Steve T)

Ethnic sounding flute and female voice with something going on behind. I knew this was going to be a tricky review, with three out of six musicians playing electronics, sound objects, effects and live electronics, not to mention a couple of instruments I've never heard of. Anybody who would be interested in it will probably have already made up their minds.


Track two evolves into something resembling a jazz piano trio, then voice - and possibly some discernible lyrics - before some unusual guitar chords joined in, then flute.

Some breathing and sound-effects lead into another piano trio, plus more obscure, obtuse guitar chords, then joined by one of the flute family before it settles into a basic rock rhythm, giving the whole thing some welcome release.

Piano, heavy breathing, some effects, guitar but this time it's a long piece to sustain. And so it goes on though becoming increasingly difficult to maintain interest.

Until track ten of thirteen. Morning in a Japanese Garden   with some Far East Asian sounding instrumentation and vocalising, joined by some lovely, tasteful ivory tinkling bringing a contrasting Western flavour.

I'd love to say the album is better than my futile adjectives suggest but, if I'm honest, I suspect I'm making it sound better than it actually is. While there is a market for this type of thing, I doubt if anybody from the regular Bebop Spoken Here team are equipped to do it justice. Ann Alex claims she has been promoted to reviewing instrumental albums so perhaps I've been demoted to reviewing a vocal album, although I remain uncertain whether there are any recognisable words.

I don't dislike it and some of it's very good, and I'm not averse to interludes, provided they enhance the jouissance, here the best bits would work fine as interludes, but fall short as highlights.

I suspect it will be far more interesting live and I would certainly try to catch them if they played the North East, so perhaps that's where they could sell it.
Steve T 

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