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Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey: "You [Bobby Watson] don't want to play too long, because you don't know they're clapping because they're glad you finished!" - (JazzTimes, Nov. 2019)..

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

15867 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 874 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (Sept. 25).

From This Moment On ...

September

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Alice Grace Quartet @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 28: Faye MacCalman + Snape/Sankey @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 28: Zoe Rahman @ Jesmond United Reformed Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 28: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.
Thu 28: Speakeasy @ Queen's Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. £15.00. A Southpaw Dance Company presentation. Dance, audio-visuals, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, swing dancers etc.
Thu 28: Mick Cantwell Band @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Ace blues band.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.

Sat 30: John Pope Quintet + Late Girl + Shapeshifters @ Bobik's, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Sat 30: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

OCTOBER

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Tue 03: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Paul Wight (drums).

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

CD Review: Andy Scott + Group S - Ruby & All Things Purple

(Review by Frank Griffiths)


Saxophonist and composer Andy Scott, based in the Manchester area formed his first saxophone ensemble, Sax Assault, in 1994. He is also a charter member of The Apollo Saxophone Quartet as well as having received a BASCA award for his tenor saxophone concerto performed by Branford Marsalis with The Scottish Chamber Orchestra in 2012. The name of his current ensemble, Group S came about when performing alongside veteran, iconic saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter. Andy asked Wayne "what do you call a group of saxophonists?" Wayne paused and gazed, looked up, and said, "Group S!" This was in 2016, with Andy, a member of the sax section in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and later that year, Group S recorded this CD.

Andy writes "my musical aim with Group S is to feature the classical contemporary musician as equally as the improvising musician, to write for specific musicians, explore solo and ensemble colours and textures, and to try and develop my writing over time." And what a concoction of saxophones it is. Ranging from the sopranino to bass sax and all the others in between joined by a four piece rhythm section, Group S produces a highly effective sound capable of generating an impressive array of collective textures, colours and timbres. Many outstanding soloists adorn the sections including Andy, Mike Hall, Krzytsztof Urbanski, John Helliwell, and Rob Buckland as well as Gwyilym Simcock's piano, James Pusey on guitar, bassist, Laurence Cottle and drummer, Elliot Henshaw.

As Dave Gelly writes "you haven't heard what the saxophone is capable of until you've heard a mixed bunch of them in the hands of nine virtuosi. Of all wind instruments, the saxophone has the most flexible, almost human tone of voice and it's Scott's mastery of this that makes these 12 pieces so appealing. The variety of sound and mood is astonishing." When each soloist is given the space to play, the result is riveting proving that an orchestra of saxophones can easily be as effective as more conventional groupings.

Mike Hall's frantic and propulsive Sabretooth, combines complex harmonic and rhythmic ideas with a funky blues sensibility. This, along with a healthy dollop of Urbankski's serpentine soprano and Hall's blistering tenor trading solo exchanges lead to a skilful graduation of drama and dynamism. Simcock's, Chapters,  is more reflective and peaceful with a lush orchestration and willowy melodies. Bassist Cottle's solo, with its pattering and longing cries, also stands out, not to mention Simon Willescroft's lyrical alto and soprano sax musings arouund the melody. Scott's Tin Can, (influenced from a line in David Bowie's "Space Oddity") has an angularity over a variety of time signature changes allowing Scott's virtuosic tenor saxophone to navigate through a striking and unpredictable rhythmical canvas. Tin Can also gives the listener a brief respite from the full "S" with just the rhythm section joining the leader's ferocious tenor.

Group S, indeed. While there is a wide variety of styles on Ruby... no idea outstays its welcome with the quality of both the writing and playing ensuring the listeners' attention throughout. One hopes that the group will get "S tablished" sufficiently sooner rather than later to appear live at a venue near you.
Frank Griffiths

Andy Scott (tenor sax); Rob Buckland (sopranino/soprano saxes), Krzysztof Urbanski (soprano sax), Simon Willescroft (alto/soprano saxes), Dave Graham (alto sax), Mike Hall (tenor sax), Rob Cope (tenor/baritone saxes), John Helliwell (tenor sax), Chris Caldwell (baritone sax), Jim Fieldhouse (bass/baritone saxes), Gwilym Simcock (piano), James Pusey (guitar), Laurence Cottle (bass guitar), Elliott Henshaw (drums), special guests Barbara Thompson (tenor sax) & Jon Hiseman (drums).

Recorded 2017, released on 2017 on Available on Basho Records - SRCD 52-2.

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