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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Vasilis Xenopoulos with the Paul Edis Trio @ St Cuthbert's Centre, Crook - October 26

Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor & soprano saxophones); Paul Edis (piano); Ken Marley (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums) 
(Review by Russell)

The twists and turns of County Durham's back roads led to Church Hill as the second installment of Vasilis Xenopoulos' three date mini tour called in at St Cuthbert's Centre, Crook. Tables set with nibbles, a choice of bottled beers (the award winning McEwan's Champion at a premium 7.3% abv the selection), tonight's performance started fifteen minutes early! It must have been something to do with the end of BST.

By and large the set list followed Friday evening's fantastic performance as Xenopoulos and the trio opened with Dexter Gordon's Fried Bananas. What would the late, great American saxophonist have made of his music being celebrated in a rural church hall in the heart of the County Durham countryside? Tanya (a vehicle for Ken Marley's accomplished, extended bass solo), MontmartreSociety Red with the momentum of its many swinging sections, Xenopoulos was, once again, on form. When isn't he on form? 

A marvellous Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry then a departure from the Opus 4 programme with Boston Bernie closing the first set. And what a closer! Xenopoulos and pianist Edis summoned from the heavens a Bach-inspired contrapuntal exchange. If that had been it, it would have been worth the trek to the back of beyond (apologies to the residents of Crook!) but another hour or so would follow the serving of the legendary St Cuthbert's interval pizza.

Nibbles, pizza, another bottle of beer to wash it down, a raffle, a bit crack, yes, Crook was beginning to look like the epicentre of the jazz world! As the second set was about to begin Vasilis X confided that the musicians' interval conversation was about the, well, not to put to fine a point on it, the worst raffle prize on offer they had come across at their many jazz gigs. Vasilis thought he had the best story...a raffle prize in the form of half a dozen eggs. But wait, drummer Russ Morgan said he once played gig where one of the prizes was, wait for it...a cabbage! Only at a jazz gig...

Second set, Darlington Dexterology, Crook Dexterologyy. This the one Vasilis X composition, it rightly took its place in the set list with Mr D Gordon no doubt snapping his fingers up there in the Jazz Club in the Sky. Vasilis' album of similar name - Dexterity - is definitely one for your CD collection. Hanky Panky included a quote or two, one of them Rollins' Alfie, courtesy of Edis' quick (subconcious?) thinking. Is 'hanky panky' an English/British expression, possibly lost on Americans? Perhaps it tickled Dexter Gordon. 

Meditation (more quotations - Edis' referencing Chicago), I'm a Fool to Want You (superb), Second Balcony Jump, it was just about time to hit the road. Vasilis, Paul, Ken and Russ stepped down from the stage, their work done. Not quite, from all sides the applause won an encore. And what an encore - Cheese Cake! A third and final helping of the music of Dexter Gordon/Vasilis Xenopoulos will be served at lunchtime today (Sunday 27) at Blaydon Jazz Club. The Black Bull will be open for business at noon (arrive early to bag a front row seat) with Vasilis and the boys getting down to business at one o'clock. Don't be late!
Russell           

1 comment :

Lance said...

I must point out that when Russell refers to having 'a bit crack' during the interval he was using a northeast expression meaning light conversation. Least I hope that's what he meant!

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