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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.

Sunday, November 15, 2020

Album review: Angelica Sanchez & Marilyn Crispell - How to Turn the Moon

Angelica Sanchez & Marilyn Crispell  (pianos)

“I’ve always kept in mind that it’s not so much the instruments that make the music – It’s the people in the room."   A  quote from Angelica Sanchez on the liner notes to this album.  

This I feel perfectly encapsulates the art of improvisation the understanding and empathy between the players transforms the music into something special. This double piano offering proves the point as the interplay between the protagonists creates a marvellous offering of subtle, fascinating and engaging improvised free jazz. 


Crispell is a generation ahead of Sanchez and has played with such luminaries on the improvised scene as Anthony Braxton, Gary Peacock and Paul Motian. Sanchez meanwhile has played with the likes of Wadada Leo Smith and Michael Fromanek.


Of the ten compositions 7 are by Sanchez and the remaining 3 jointly written.


A couple a years ago  I visited the museum of MIT where they had a fascinating exhibition of Ramon y Cajal’s beautiful drawings of the optic lobe of a fly which resemble trees and roots. These drawings are an inspiration for the album. The opening track - The Lobe of the Fly  begins with both pianists playing in a scale-like manner before exploding into an exhilarating tour de force. Ancient Dream sees Sanchez strumming the piano strings as Crispell, adds a percussive effect giving the piece a fairly sombre minimalist feel. 


The highlight of the CD for me is  the longest piece  Ceiba Poral where  Sanchez and Crispell appear to run rings round each other at a fair old lick before it settles down with a calming melodic ending. I was quite taken with how the actual music evokes their titles. Space Junk gives the feeling of being in outer space, whilst Sullivan’s Universe has a quite dreamy feel to it. Rain in the Web is one of the joint compositions and  is the most lively piece a formidable heavy start grows into an exciting whirlwind. The album concludes with the evocative Fire in Space which begins urgently with a recurring theme jointly played before calmly drawing to a close.


A really great album in fact the more I listen to it the better it gets - another great collaboration of musicianship and friendship. 

Steve H.

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