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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise April 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

15260 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 279 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (March 29).

From This Moment On ...

April
Sat 01: The Big Easy @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - In a Minor Key. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington DL1 5PN. 6:00pm. New venue, live jazz!
Sat 01: Jambone @ Sage Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (book online). A YMP! event in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 01: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Sat 01: Boys of Brass @ Stack, Seaburn. 7:00-9:00pm.
Sat 01: Hot Club du Nord @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth. 8:00pm. £79.00. A charity fundraising event.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED to next week (Sat 08).

Sun 02: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny. 12:45pm.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.

Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 04: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 04: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations. Feat. John Pope, Marie Shreer, John Garner.
Thu 06: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 06: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Note earlier start time.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 07: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 07: Finntet + Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.
Fri 07: TBA @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Blind Pig Blues Club.

Friday, August 09, 2019

What We Did At the Jazz Course @ The Globe: August 3 and 4


What We Did At the Jazz Course @ The Globe: August 3 and 4
(By Ann Alex)

First we drank tea as 9.30am counts as early rising for 15 jazzers. The aim of the course was to develop our playing and technique further under the wise guidance of tutors James Birkett (usually playing guitar) and Faye MacCalman (usually blowing sax). The group exercise to get us going saw us each doing one of 3 things, singing a short riff, singing a rhythm, or doing body percussion, which I found can actually hurt if you slap your leg too hard.


We were all loosened up, ready to split into 2 groups. James's group sounded a bit technical for my taste so I opted to go with Faye, along with some sax players, a keys man, guitars, a drummer and another singer, Sheila, who doubled as lunch organiser. The rest of Saturday was really good and interesting, improvising with very few notes, (even with just 1 note is possible), and using 4 different blues progressions. Not certain what the other group got up to but it involved the circle of 5ths and I caught someone talking about dreaded diminished chords over lunch. Before closing business Faye mentioned that we would be composing an original composition on Sunday. Hmm!

By Sunday the personnel of our group had changed, which is allowed, and we'd lost the keys man, a guitar and a sax to the other group. We remainers studied the first part of Mood Indigo, improvised extensively. Then we all spent 10 minutes thinking up riffs and arrangements, based on whatever we liked, but with Mood Indigo still somewhere in our consciousness. I went to the loo for quietness and cheated. I suddenly remembered the tuning of my ukulele, GCEA, and there was the riff! I quoted the phrase I'd been taught at Sage Gateshead for remembering the tuning 'Goats Can Eat Anything' and I was surprised that the group said they'd use the words as well as the riff.

Sheila brought us a pleasing riff which sounded almost tribal, the saxes came up with good stuff, the bass guitar riffs grounded us well and our skilled drummer played with delightful enthusiasm. We were in business, and arranged our piece by starting with Mood Indigo, merging into our riffs, solos etc and ending with singing 'Goats Can Eat Anything' with improvisations. The singing caused great surprise at our performance when we entertained the other group, especially when we asked them to join in.

The other group gave an equally entertaining performance of Autumn Leaves, with very skilled solos from everyone, including keys, guitars, saxes, but very cleverly they managed without a drummer and had no singers. Then we all went home.

I must end by thanking all concerned in the organisation of this great weekend, our skilled tutors, Sheila, Tom and also Dave Parker for keeping us fed and watered, and everyone for taking a full part in the workshops. Roll On Next Year!
Ann Alex 

1 comment :

Liz said...

Well done Ann, loved the story of your weekend, a very good review with your usual touches of humour! Keep it up...

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