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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.

Saturday, December 07, 2019

Kyriaki (Kyra) Pantelidou & Bradley Johnston Duo - Viatores (travellers) @ Gala Theatre, Durham – Dec. 6

Kyriaki (Kyra) Pantelidou (voice); Bradley Johnston (guitars).
(Review by Roly Veitch/Photos courtesy of Malcolm Sinclair)

Have you ever gone to a concert to hear someone you’ve not heard before, wondering what it would be like and then come away at the end thinking “I’m so glad I went to that”? This was one of those magical moments.

Kyra graduated from the Sage B Mus. course last year and returned to her home in Cyprus. Paul Edis, who organises the Gala lunchtime concerts, invited her back especially for this recital, her only performance on this short visit. I don’t doubt she will be back and probably touring. She deserves to be as this, the music, was of the highest calibre. 

In an intimate duo setting along with Bradley Johnston on guitar, the pair took us on a journey through the finest of GASbook material mixed with songs from France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece. A mix of western and world music that was a total delight from start to finish.

Playing at almost acoustic level Johnston provided impeccable accompaniment, alternating between his electric Benson jazz guitar and an acoustic Selmer style gypsy jazz instrument.  Considering that these instruments have a very different feel and need very different plectrums, I had to admire the flawless execution, all played with a nod to the Joe Pass virtuoso solo style which he has totally mastered. The music they performed also offered up flamenco, bossa, waltz, gypsy style, and the final gentle song in a lilting 5/4 time.

With Kyra we have the combination of a beautiful, sensitive singing voice delivered in a most engaging fashion by a charming young lady. Perfect! You could hear a pin drop.

Speaking from my own perspective, so often these days music is quite loud, sometimes very loud. I do believe that music played well at the quietest level, where you get a feeling of a one to one relationship with the artist, is the loveliest thing to experience and for me has much more impact than decibels. As you’ll gather from my comments this is just what the audience experienced here. What a treat!

The eclectic set list: J’ai Deux Amour (Scotto, Koger, Varna); Sophisticated Lady (Ellington); Una Notte A Napoli (Lauderdale, Forbes); Samba De Uma Nota So (Jobim, Mendonca); Misty (Garner); I Am So Sorry (Giannides/Spyropoulos /Papadoukas); (No Habra Nadie en el Mundo (Buika); Black Orpheus (Bonfa); Tu Vuo Fa L’Americano (Carosone); Someone to Watch Over Me (G & I Gershwin); Besame Mucho (Evora); Lush Life (Strayhorn); Ta Stefana Ta Amilita (Cacoyannis/Pampos). 
Roly

3 comments :

Patti (on F/b) said...

Ah - I wish I could have gone to this gig! Please do it again, Kyriaki and Bradley! xx

Kyriaki Pantelidou (on F/b) said...

Patti Durham I wish I could come back soon!

Bradley Johnston (on F/b). said...

You will, Kyriaki x

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