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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

15245 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 264 of them this year alone and, so far, 77 this month (March 25).

From This Moment On ...

March

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Mar 26: Pop Jazz @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. 'Jazzified' tunes by the likes of Sylvester, Bowie, the Monkees etc., feat. Alan Law, David Gray, Richard Herdman & Jude Murphy.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 28: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 28: Sanaz Lavasani Trio @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 30: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. Back to 1:00pm stomp off. Free.
Thu 30: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 30: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 31: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm. CANCELLED! Back next week (April 7).
Fri 31: Jasmine Myra + Waclaw Zimpel @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 31: The Revolutionaires @ The Shack, Boldon Colliery. 7:30pm. £10.00. The Revolutionaires' big band (horn section) line-up.
Fri 31: Andrew McCormack @ Maltings, Berwick. 8:00pm. £20.00.

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: Hot Club du Nord @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth. 8:00pm. £79.00. A charity fundraising event.
Sat 01: Boys of Brass @ Stack, Seaburn. 7:00-9:00pm.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED to next week (Sat 08).

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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