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Bebop Spoken There

Wendell Brunious: "Because the blues is not 1,4 and 5 or 1,4,5,2,1. You could wake up with a flat tyre or a headache this morning, that's the blues, man" - (DownBeat, Oct. 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

15878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 885 of them this year alone and, so far, 83 this month (Sept. 30).

From This Moment On ...

October

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00. POSTPONED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 06: Alcyona Mick @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 2:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Balo @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Fri 06: Lexer/Mayes/Noble + Semay Wu + Miman @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Vault, Hexham. 7:30pm. £20.00. Book in advance. Moreno with Alan Law, Paul Grainger & John Bradford.
Fri 06: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. 'Celebrating Oscar'.
Fri 06: Nu Brass Sounds: Big Brass Bash @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: King Bees @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 07: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 10:15am. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Hot Club du Nord @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 07: Bugge & Niccols + Moore & Fairhall @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - All the Things You Are. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 07: Rie Nakajima @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Sat 07: Boys of Brass @ Salt Market Social, Liddell St., North Shields. From 7:00pm. £9.00. + bf.
Sat 07: Samuel Blaser Trio + Toxvaerd & Zeeberg + Muramatsu & Welch @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Zoë Gilby Quintet + Ubunye @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Line-up inc. Tony Kofi. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 08: Tommy Bentz Band @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. USA blues band.

Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Cherise Adams-Burnett @ The Grove, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. .

Tue 10: Abbie Finn Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Friday, October 30, 2020

Abbie Finn Trio: Northern Perspective album launch @ Prohibition Bar - Oct. 29

Abbie Finn (drums); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Paul Grainger (double bass)

In the middle of a pandemic what do you do? Stay at home, switch off the light and persuade yourself the end of the world is nigh? How about if you play an album launch gig with a socially distanced audience? Enterprising? Crazy? Enterprising drummer and bandleader Abbie Finn isn't crazy (as far as we know) and, and with the willing participation of Harry Keeble and Paul Grainger, proceeded to play two sets to a full house at Prohibition Bar in Newcastle.
Northern Perspective is Abbie's debut CD as leader and this late-October concert served not only to promote the album but to celebrate the fact that this was a significant milestone in what is sure to be a long, fruitful career. Those of us expecting something from the new CD were wrong-footed as Abbie chose to open the set with Hank Mobley's Remember from the tenor saxophonist's Soul Station album. Tenor saxophonist Harry relished the material and Invitation gave him another opportunity to stretch out, post bop-style. 

Abbie's Walkabout, the opening track on the album, could well be the County Durham based musician's early-career signature tune. Boppish with a subtle swing feel, it's certainly a confident, introductory statement. Another one new to the trio's set, Body and Soul, was set up for Harry, wasn't it? A sax and bass intro, then the floor was Harry's. Listening, thoughts turned to what this young man will be capable of in, say, ten years time...

It would seem Harry has an interest in Norse mythology and such like. Whatever, Ginnungagap was a taut, tense tussle between Nordic gods and our rising tenor sax star. Harry lived to tell the tale. And that was it, the end of the first set. A short interval and the Abbie Finn Trio would return to play a second set.

Night and Day (Harry in overdrive, Abbie knocking out a great solo), Abbie taking Seven Steps to Heaven, then another cut from Northern PerspectiveThere Will Never Be Another You (arr. Finn) featuring Mr PG, that's bass man Paul Grainger, conjuring a most musical solo. To play material other than from the album was a refreshing departure from the usual 'hard sell' one has come to expect at an album launch but we did want to hear these, and other, numbers from the new album. 

Who would plan, and play, an album launch gig on their birthday? Abbie Finn, that's who! What's that about being crazy?! No birthday cake, no blowing out candles, yes, we are living in strange times. Our birthday girl waltzed through Chick Corea's Windows (PG contributing a mid-tune, down beat sneeze, adding to, rather than distracting from, the composer's much-loved number!). 

Abbie, centre stage, literally and metaphorically, addressed her audience in a relaxed, engaging manner. In a few, short years Abbie has come a long way...Durham Music Service providing learning and performance opportunities, Leeds College of Music, Trinity Laban (London), securing an on-stage part in a Harold Pinter play, gigging, teaching, and now, a first album. In typical self-effacing style, Abbie gave the last word to Paul. The last word, and the last track on Northern Perspective, our bassist spoke about composing Umlazi Morning. The trio played it. Music speaks louder than words and all that. To find out more about Abbie and her current activities visit: www.abbiefinn.com.  
Russell      

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