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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

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Thu 23: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Bar Loco, Newcasatle. From 6:30pm 'til late. Free. Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra jam session. All welcome (students & non-students).
Thu 23: Kerrin Tatman + John Garner & John Pope @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 23: Sunna Gunnlaugs & Julia Hülsmann @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm. A two-piano gig. A Sage Gateshead-JNE promotion.
Thu 23: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano.
Thu 23: Sleep Suppressor @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00., £8.00. adv. Upstairs.
Thu 23: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

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.

Friday, May 06, 2022

Cheltenham Jazz Festival: Fascinada @ Parabola Arts Centre - May 1

Iain Ballamy (sax), Rob Luft (guitar), Huw Warren (piano), Conor Chaplin (bass guitar), Will Glaser (drums).

I didn’t initially realise I’d seen Ballamy and Warren in Quercus at Sage Gateshead a number of years ago. Quercus were a trio I’ve seen described as jazz-ish, though I tend to refer to them as a kind of folk-jazz hybrid, with celebrated singer June Tabor ensuring everybody goes home miserable, which folky types will confirm is no bad thing. I’d also seen Ballamy earlier that day in the Electric Ladyland Big Band.

 

An update on Rob Luft was also part of the motivation for my return to Cheltenham and he was back an hour after his impressive contribution to Laura Jurd’s set.

 

Ballamy and Warren came out first and dazzled with a duo piece before the rest of the band joined them.       

 

The motivation for the band - given the name Fascinada – is a shared love of Brazilian music, and Ballamy gave us the names of musicians and song titles in Portuguese I’m making no attempt to replicate here. Nor were they attempting to make what he described as ‘authentic’ Brazilian music but was a personal tribute. He confessed his titling of pieces was uninspired and revealed after his first piece he’d called it Absolute Beginners, but you wouldn’t think it from their playing and from the joy in the music.

 

This continued through Portoscino, featuring a stunning solo from Mr Luft, his almost unbelievable clean, precise technique blowing ‘impressive’ through the hole he tore off the roof, followed by some inventive comping behind a splendid piano solo, Glaser also rising to the occasion at the drumkit.

 

Huw Warren’s composition This and That followed with a lush piano intro, joined by guitar then the band, sax and guitar playing in unison. Piano upped the ante and it kicked in. A tremendous sax solo and Luft was out but the rest were swinging. Another guitar solo and Luft raised his game once more.

Incredible musicianship all around and things were definitely getting better and it’s always  a sign of a good festival when you have to leave early to get to the next gig, and the next one was a big one and would be considered an odd one at most jazz festivals. Steve T  

1 comment :

Chris Kilsby said...

Steve - I'm following your reports from Cheltenham with bated breath! What next? What is " the big one"?!

Who knew festivals were this exciting!!??


Many thanks, and don't keep us in suspenders too long, Chris K

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