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Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey: "You [Bobby Watson] don't want to play too long, because you don't know they're clapping because they're glad you finished!" - (JazzTimes, Nov. 2019)..

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

15848 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 855 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Sept. 18).

From This Moment On ...

September

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: La Malbec Orchestra @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 21: Linsday Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Ray Stubbs R & B All Stars @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:30pm. Free.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 22: Brief Encounter @ Bardon Mill Village Hall, Northumberland. 7:00pm. Tickets: £10.00. adv from 07885 303166; £12.00. on the door. Chris & Veronica Perrin improvising to a screening of the 1929 'Jazz Age' silent film Piccadilly (Dir. Ewald André Dupont).
Fri 22: Paul Edis & Graeme Wilson + Three Tsuru Origami @ Jesmond United Reformed Church, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 22: Crooners @ Tyne Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Fri 22: Abbie Finn's Finntet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 23: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tanfield Railway, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. Free. A '1940s Weekend' event.
Sat 23: Jason Isaacs @ Stack, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 23: Andrew Porritt & Keith Barrett @ Cullercoats Watch House, Front St., Cullercoats NE30 4QB. 7:00pm.
Sat 23: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Country blues.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 7:00pm.

Tue 26: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thursday, August 05, 2021

Album review: Francesco Ciniglio - The Locomotive Suite

Francesco Ciniglio (drums); Raynald Colom (trumpet, flugelhorn); Matt Chalk (alto sax);  Matteo Pastorino (bass clarinet); Alexis Valet (vibraphone); Felix Moseholm (double bass)

An interesting and refreshingly different set of originals from a new-ish but very talented mostly European group with strong New York connections.  This is the debut on Whirlwind for the leader and writer, drummer Francesco Ciniglio, out of Naples via NYC and Paris. Ciniglio is a noted stylist not only in drumming, but also in clothing and generally looking cool!  Collaboration with Wynton Marsalis resulted in the trumpet maestro contributing lengthy, gushing liner notes, adding to the already ambitious aims of a programmatic approach where each song is “a landscape which a train might pass through.” The music owes little debt to Marsalis however, with a contemporary and loose feel, drawing on diverse rhythmic influences and an unusual palette featuring vibraphone and bass clarinet.

A gentle slow vibes and reeds opener is named after his grandmother, Laura Martina, but this soon changes tracks to the 10 min Locomotive featuring solo drums in a style which sounded African to my ears, but is apparently Neapolitan!  As to be expected from a drummer’s album, the rhythmic “locomotion” is prominent, but never dominant, and another strong voice is soon introduced with emotional and engaging trumpet playing by Spanish star Colom. The vibraphone and bass clarinet provide further contrasting solos over strong and angular propulsion from bass/drums.

Self Made Man brings new rhythms, with choked and splashing cymbals. The horn playing here is fabulous, recorded with a touch of echo, and plenty of range (both tonal and dynamic) which convey intensity without any frenetic excursions to the stratosphere.

The Turtle uses brushes pattering to evoke reptilian rather than railway progress, while Concern in the Background is more abstract, with ever-shifting drum workouts overlaid by loose motifs. This one builds to a frenetic pace before a restated melody closes in a satisfying unison byf sax and trumpet.

945 St Nicholas is the most straight ahead, with some blues feel, giving the bass clarinet free rein with glorious range and emotive tone, and the vibes in piano role giving a different feel to most other bands of this stripe.   The album closes with Mon Ange, unexpectedly introducing some vocals, in a relaxed sequence of melancholy and passion… that’s Italians for you I suppose.

A refreshing new voice with plenty of compositional ideas on top of virtuoso and emotional playing - one to watch out for. Chris K

Release date: 23.07.21 CD, LP, Digital at Whirlwind Recordings WR4773CD (UK)

Recorded on July 5/
6 2020 at Studio Ferber, Paris

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