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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

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

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.
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.

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Different Pebbles, One Beach – presented by Auntie Joy @ Holy Cross Church, Ryton, Gateshead. Sept. 18

(Collage  © Ken Drew)
This was the introductory offering in what is planned to be “a short series of multi-media events”.

The afternoon began with the pealing of the bells. To maximise the sound internally, openings to the bell tower had been left ajar, including the alarmingly named “suicide door” – a small hatch high up near the roof. Thus, the bells felt very immediate and we could hear the cries of – presumably – the Tower Captain, John Robinson. There is obviously a considerable skill to these campanological changes of pattern.

The bells were soon joined by the keyboards of noted improviser Paul Taylor. Abstract musical shapes gradually displaced the ancient peals from the tower, as Paul moved into a solo excursion of many moods and textures…… deep organ chords (befitting a church) beneath a flow of upper atmospheric sound.

He then disappeared into the inner sanctum of the church organ itself, treating us to a passage of improv that managed to suggest (in this listener’s mind, anyway) a half-remembered, but non-existent hymn, at least until it headed off into more abstract realms.

There followed various combinations of vocalists – Pinnel (aka Lindsay Duncanson) and Mobius (James and Skylar) all of whom processed their voices electronically to create hypnotic, looping layers, whispers and a wonderful, other-worldly choral effect. I had a wander round the church at one point and it was remarkable how good it sounded from all angles.

Again, a bell tolled, with a single, steady note. The combined sounds of the various musicians ebbed and flowed, until this remarkable event drew to a close. Geoff Fimister

See also TQ zine 

4 comments :

Andy Wood said...

It was a privilege to be a co-curator of this event which was very well received by an appreciative audience and competent set of performers.

Alex Reed said...

A fantastic event in a beautiful setting

James Watts said...

Cheers for coming, and for writing this! It was an excellent day - here's to more!

Paul said...

It was a wonderful event a privilege to perform in such an atmospheric setting. I'm very grateful to Andy, Nigel, Charlie, the bell ringers of Holy Cross and all at the church for their enthusiasm and for making it all happen. A perfect antidote to the anxieties of these strange times. As James said, here's to many more Auntie Joys.
PS Look out for a forthcoming album of the concert...

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