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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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

17328 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 612 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (Sept. 5).

From This Moment On ...

September

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: ???

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. A ‘second Wednesday in the month’ jam session.
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 12: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:30pm. £4.00. ‘A Great Day in Harlem’.
Thu 12: The Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Pete Tanton & co.
Thu 12: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. THC with guests Donna Hewitt, Bill Watson, Dave Archbold, Adrian Beadnell, Mark Hawkins.

Fri 13: Jeff Barnhart & Neville Dickie @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Two pianos, two pianists! SOLD OUT!
Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Dilutey Juice @ Old Coal Yard, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.00. adv..
Fri 13: Ray Stubbs R & B All-stars @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. Classic blues.

Sat 14: Jeff Barnhart’s Silent Film Fest @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 14: Customs House Big Band w. Ruth Lambert @ St Paul’s Centre, St Paul’s Gardens, Spennymoor DL16 7LR. 7:00pm (6:45pm doors). Tickets £10.00. from the venue or tel: 01388 813404. A ‘BYOB’ event.
Sat 14: Emma Wilson @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. £12.00. Acoustic blues.
Sat 14: Rat Pack - Swingin’ at the Sands @ Billingham Forum. 7:30pm.

Sun 15: Jude Murphy, Steve Chambers & Sid White @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Panharmonia @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Jambone & Young Sinfonia @ Sage Gateshead – July 13


(Review by Chris)

A rare outing for the combined forces of the Sage Young Musicians Programme jazz orchestra Jambone, and conventional orchestra, Young Sinfonia, filling the stage of Sage One.  This was part of the culmination of the YMP year – their summer festival - and marked the latest milestone in the remarkable development of Jambone’s director, the composer and arranger extraordinaire, Paul Edis.   With two orchestras (12 strong Jambone, 27 for Sinfonia) packed with talent at his disposal,  Admiral Edis had written or arranged three contrasting pieces to send the fleet on manouevres for an hour or so. Was this to be jazz deluxe, or was it modern orchestral repertoire spiced with “improvisatory” elements, as the Sinfonia’s distinguished conductor, Karin Hendrickson warned the audience?  

Combining jazz (and rock) bands with orchestras has a chequered history, and bolting string sections onto jazz bands can also fall into the Mantovani trap.   Paul, of course, has ample experience avoiding such fails, most recently with the Ed Cross String Quartet added to his own quartet, so expectations were high for the world premiere of his four-movement work Thoughts, Words and Deeds.  From the programme notes, the work “reflects the importance and power of words in the Post-truth age and is inspired by themes of humanity, time, grief, nature and renewed hope”.  This lofty ambition was realised, as we were treated to a compelling and masterful use of a staggering range of texture, dynamics and interplay, ably delivered by first rate and responsive playing throughout every department.  
And there were tunes!  From the off, A Thought Can Split the World in Two took us on a journey bouncing lines expertly between sections and voices, followed by the sombre Too Sad for Words.  

And there was jazz!  Mostly through short but powerful solos, showcased by Hendrickson’s total control of dynamics bringing both bands down to a whisper, as one, sandwiched between full throttle tutti blasts.  

Textural games were played to the max in the third movement, Rain, opening with pitter-patter pizzicato, building to tumultuous thunderclaps generated by three drummers working flat out! The final movement, Time Will Tell, concluded on a more upbeat note, with strong melodic lines beautifully balanced between the Sinfonia sections and Jambone’s individual players.  

Next was a Sound of Music medley – more kitsch pitfalls to be avoided here, as well as the audience's varied expectations to be addressed!  I needn’t have worried, this turned out to be a most engaging romp through the fabulous Rodgers and Hammerstein tunes, but with some delightful jazz twists and turns thrown in to keep it all fresh. Highlights included a startling, gorgeous toned tenor solo by Zak Parlby on My Favorite Things and a fluid bop guitar solo by Tom Henerey (off to Birmingham next year).  The drama was ramped up with a double-time swing section,  driven by sure-footed double bass lines from Alex Shipsey – I won’t forget the concentration etched on his face in a hurry!  

But the star of this part of the show was Jambone’s vocalist, Emily McDermott.  She had the unenviable task of not only taking on Julie Andrews’ role, but bringing something new to the party.  Her understated approach lends itself well to the moody and poetic style of much of Jambone’s repertoire, including Thoughts, Words and Deeds.  It wasn’t clear how she would do the blockbuster stuff, but boy did she pull it off!  With crystal clear tone and diction, matched by effortless range, she not only convinced as she climbed every mountain, but brought humour and new twists and character to the old lyrics.   

The evening finished with Apologies to Brahms, another romp, re-interpreting his Hungarian Dance, complete with over the top chorus line “big kicks” treatment!

Altogether, a mind-blowing showcase of not only top class playing, conducting and interpretation, but also of imaginative writing and ingenious, challenging arrangements from Paul Edis, delivering his latest, largest project to date. It is truly baffling how he has the time and energy to do everything he does, to the standard he does.   My only complaint about the evening was that the audience wasn’t bigger so that more people could enjoy the (free!) show, and the players and directors could get the wider exposure they deserve.

Chris Kilsby

Images © Sage Youth Music Programme twitter feed.

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