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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Wednesday, April 08, 2020

Black Music In Europe: A Hidden History: BBC Radio 4: April 7


(By Ann Alex)

See Russell's preview below, which gives a foretaste of a programme well worth listening to, which I caught on the 9.30pm repeat. It's the first of a series of 3, all about post-colonialism in Europe, and the music to which it gave rise. Many countries felt impelled to 'reward' their colonies for services rendered during WW2, so they granted  Independence and encouraged  immigration to Europe from places such as the Congo, Algeria, Jamaica and Trinidad.

The narrator, Clarke Peters, outlines how during the 1960's these immigrants brought African jazz from the former Belgian Congo, including a form of cha-cha with politically influenced lyrics. Algerian people came into France, bringing music to the cafes and news from the homeland, songs of exile with strongly eastern melodies. There was much optimism about the future of Africa so music from that continent reached European capitals, along with architecture and fashion.


Davey Graham is a well-known name in folk clubs, but I didn't realise that he had colonial connections in the form of a Guyanese mother. He introduced DADGAD tuning for guitars, which is a North African concept, giving an 'eastern' sound to the playing. This tuning is talked about these days in folk clubs in hushed reverential voices, (I'm not exaggerating) and perhaps guitarists reading this can explain further. I'd bet that jazz musicians have been doing it since jazz first evolved, but I digress.

Martin Simpson explained that this more modal tuning influenced such guitarists as Martin Carthy, Paul Simon and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. It is particularly effective for Irish tunes and is both accessible and makes playing easier in some ways.

Then we heard about the development of the Notting Hill Carnival, which evolved from a carnival festival held in 1964, influenced by musicians from Jamaica and Trinidad who came to England.

The programme was peppered with short musical illustrations, though I'd have liked more of these and longer excerpts. The final tune was Don't Stop The Carnival. Next week we move on to further developments, including free jazz in Sweden. How did that come about I wonder?
Ann Alex

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