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Bebop Spoken There

Raymond Chandler: “ I was walking the floor and listening to Khatchaturian working in a tractor factory. He called it a violin concerto. I called it a loose fan belt and the hell with it ". The Long Goodbye, Penguin 1959.

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

16350 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 230 of them this year alone and, so far, 27 this month (April 11).

From This Moment On ...

April

Sat 20: Record Store Day…at a store near you!
Sat 20: Bright Street Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. Swing dance taster session (6:30pm) followed by Bright Street Big Band (7:30pm). £12.00.
Sat 20: Michael Woods @ Victoria Tunnel, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Acoustic blues.
Sat 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ St Andrew’s Church, Monkseaton. 7:30pm. £10.00. (inc. a drink on arrival).

Sun 21: Jamie Toms Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Holy Grale, Durham. 5:00pm.
Sun 21: The Jazz Defenders @ Cluny 2. Doors 6:00pm. £15.00.
Sun 21: Edgar Rubenis @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Blues & ragtime guitar.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Art Themen with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. +bf. JNE. SOLD OUT!

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Vieux Carre Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30-3:30pm. £12.00. ‘St George’s Day Afternoon Tea’. Gig with ‘Lashings of Victoria Sponge Cake, along with sandwiches & scones’.
Tue 23: Jalen Ngonda @ Newcastle University Students’ Union. POSTPONED!

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Sinatra: Raw @ Darlington Hippodrome. 7:30pm. Richard Shelton.
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 24: Death Trap @ Theatre Royal, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Rambert Dance Co. Two pieces inc. Goat (inspired by the music of Nina Simone) with on-stage musicians.

Thu 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 25: Jim Jams @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Jim Jams’ funk collective.
Thu 25: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 25: Death Trap @ Theatre Royal, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Rambert Dance Co. Two pieces inc. Goat (inspired by the music of Nina Simone) with on-stage musicians.
Thu 25: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Thu 25: Kate O’Neill, Alan Law & Paul Grainger @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 25: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Garry Hadfield (keys).

Fri 26: Graham Hardy Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 26: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 26: Paul Skerritt with the Danny Miller Big Band @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 26: Abbie Finn’s Finntet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Wednesday, May 05, 2021

XPQ: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Nigel Price Quartet live streaming from Guildford Jazz - May 5

(Screenshot by Russell)
Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax); Nigel Price (guitar); Dario Di Lecce (double bass); Winston Clifford (drums)

The Boileroom is a music, arts and community venue Guildford Jazz calls home. This evening's concert featured XPQ, a quartet co-led by tenor saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos and guitarist Nigel Price alongside regular bassist Dario Di Lecce and ace drummer Winston Clifford. The set would draw upon XPQ's 2017 album Sidekicks comprising tunes written by famous saxophone-guitar collaborations.

(Screenshot by Russell)

The boys kicked-off with Lyresto (comp. J. Coltrane & K. Burrell). Sound balance just about right, a relaxed opening. Local lad Dave Cliff (Blaydon-on-Tyne) composed The Right Time with Geoff Simkins, and Price did justice to his fellow six-stringer, Dario Di Lecce chipping in with a concise solo followed by a polished round of fours.

(Screenshot by Russell)

Xenopoulos introduced If Ever I Will Leave You (comp. S. Rollins & J. Hall), not from the XPD album but definitely worthy of a place in tonight's set list. Taken with a Latin lilt, VX stretched out, making it look and sound so easy, Winston Clifford shining with a controlled, brief solo. Introducing Full House the irony wasn't lost on Price that they were playing to anything but a full house in the Boileroom. Ah, but we were a virtual house! Price reckoned the album of the same name was his favourite Wes Montgomery recording and with Johnny Griffin, correction, Vasilis Xenopoulos, alongside, it cooked, big time! So much so, at its conclusion VX laughed, saying they should play something a little slower to enable him to catch his breath. When Joanna Loved Me from the Paul Desmond-Jim Hall pairing gave him some respite. Stating the theme, VX stood in the wings listening to a most musical bass solo courtesy of Di Lecce. 

Full House notwithstanding, Mr P had been relatively subdued, until now...Ready and Able (Johnny Cuba and George Benson) 'without', said Price, 'a safety net'. And off they went, full pelt. All four tore it up...Yeah! Yeah! More! 

Jimmy Heath and Kenny Burrell's On the Trail, inspired by Ferde Grofé's early thirties' Grand Canyon Suite, concluded the live stream, VX blowing tremendous tenor to an empty room but a Wes Montgomery virtual full house. Superb. Ah! One more, a quick one, a blues, Price's Straight No Bounce, our composer saying it was a hybrid of Straight No Chaser and Billie's Bounce. Yep, superb. 

A Q & A followed. Several questions from the online audience...Favourite musicians? How was it in lockdown? How long did you/do you practice? Nigel Price summed it up saying: You've just got to put the hours in. Xenopoulos revealed he had doubts about the future for musicians, the possibility/prospect of retraining. Forget that, Vasilis, when you get back out on the road there will be an audience. You can bet on it.  

XPD is one of the great working units and as and when these guys hit the road again - and they will! - be sure to catch them. This is what live music is all about, no messing, honest, heart and soul stuff. 

This evening's concert was presented by Guildford Jazz in association with Berkhampstead Jazz, Colchester Arts Centre Jazz Club, Chichester Jazz Club, Fleet Jazz Club and Scarborough Jazz. 
Russell

Set list: Lyresto; The Right Time; If Ever I Will You; Full House; When Joanna Loved Me; Ready and Able; On the Trail. Straight No Bounce.  
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