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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

15478 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 499 of them this year alone and, so far, 120 this month (May 27).

From This Moment On ...

May 2023

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 31: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 31: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 31: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

June
Thu 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations.
Thu 01: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 01: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: Joseph Carville Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 02: Claire Martin & Her Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £25.00., £20.00. Feat. Jim Mullen, Alex Garnett & Jeremy Brown.
Fri 02: Guy Davis + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm. Blues double bill.
Fri 02: Anders Ingram @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Country blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 04: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 04: Central Bar Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. £5.00. The Central Bar Quintet plays Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Featuring Lewis Watson.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 04: Struggle Buggy + Michael Littlefield @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues.
Sun 04: Swinging at the Cotton Club: Harry Strutters' Hot Rhythm Orchestra @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 04: Richard Jones Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Friday, April 30, 2021

Ladies Of Midnight Blue Livestreaming From The King's Hall – April 29

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)
Hannabiel Sanders (bass trombone, African and Latin Percussion, mbira); Yilis del Carmen Suriel (African and Latin percussion, mbira) + guests Mariam Rezaei (turntable); Luke Gaul (electric guitar)

This was 30 minutes of exciting music, an unusual fusion of African and Latin sounds, described on the Newcastle University website as music of the African diaspora. Three long pieces which I'd guess were partly improvised, with perhaps a basic structure, directed by musical signals from the participants.


Roll Of Thunder began atmospherically, with a tinkling rhythm and ominous low boom, on a stage decked out with drums of all sizes, a laptop, and Yilis holding a large hollow sphere which seemed to have keys inside, and which I assume is the mbira.


(Screenshot by Ken Drew)
Hannabiel whispers and sings, 'Thunder, hear my cry, old man coming down the line', low-voiced, presumably telling the thunder to go away, though I'm not sure about that, all I know is that it sounded interesting. Forget 'tunes' as such, this is all grooves and rhythms, and the mbira reminding you of lions walking across the Savannah in documentaries.

Next comes Conversations With Percussion And Conch, the title says it all. Yilis on various drums, strong, complex rhythms, with Hannabiel singing/playing a large conch shell, using her hands to control the sound, watching each other for cues and cleverly matching rhythms, Hannabiel now on drums, faster, slower, quieter, sudden stop with a final flourish.


(Screenshot by Ken Drew)
The last piece is listed as King ? Featuring the guests on turntable and guitar. It begins with quiet chirrups from the turntable, slow drumbeats, and faint trombone sounds: guitar fragments appear later and the piece builds to a climax, louder trombone, livelier sounds, vocalisation from somewhere, then a gradual dying of sound, skilfully managed.

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)
It is worth mentioning some biographical details about these talented musicians. Hannabiel and Yilis have played all over the world, promoting everyday activism and ideas of equality. They produce Harambee Pasadia, which is an Afro fusion arts festival with camping for families. Mariam Rezaei is involved in the Fringe of the local Tusk Festival and Luke Gaul is an improvising guitarist who is based in the North East.

This is the final concert in the King's Hall series and the gigs resume again in October.  A very fitting way to end the series on a high.

Ann Alex 

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