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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 2024.

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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Saturday, December 31, 2022

CD review of 2022 and more…

A personal review of my own images used for CD artwork in recent years.

If I’d put ‘My’ CD Review in the title then this may have been closer to the truth about what I’m about to cover, but that would look too self-congratulating. However, it turns out that over the last 3 years I’ve contributed to the artwork of several CDs in one way or another, and (to me) these are significant personal highlights. So I thought I’d share these – it’s not a tiny list nor is it a massive list, but covers both local and international musicians with whom I’ve worked with and/or helped in some way.

 

Prior to the lockdowns I’d provided photo-artwork for The Mark Williams Trio (Last Bus to Bensham - 2017) and the last Jazz North East concert for 2019 at the Bridge Hotel included Magpie, and a few months after that, they were collecting photos from their tour, for which I provided the back image of the CD cover.  Then in February 2020 I did a photo-shoot under the Tyne Bridge with Zoe Gilby for her Aurora CD. It’s not hard to imagine how cold that day was, 6 weeks into the new year, but we got results. Three weeks after that the pandemic was becoming the topic of the day, as did lockdown and its knock-on effects.

 

But, despite lockdown and its initial reduction of music performances, live music has been re-established, and the list has grown.

 

Last Bus to Bensham – Mark Williams Trio – Promo & CD photos.

Magpie Trio Live  Dec 2019 at Bridge Hotel, Newcastle  CD photo.

 

Several photos were used by New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings  (NEWJAiM) - the label managed and curated by Wesley Stephenson.


VIA - Paul Taylor photo ~ NEWJAiM 2   


Andy Champion photo  - Shoes for Losers  (with Graeme Wilson)  ~ NEWJAiM 4

Télémaque  - Kings Hall Concert  Joe McPhee photo   ~ NEWJAiM 5

Shiver   Andy Champion & Chris Sharkey photos    ~ NEWJAiM 8 

Spinningwork - Tom Ward / Cath Roberts / Olie Brice / Johnny Hunter
NEWJAiM 1

Pat Thomas  Photos  ~ NEWJAiM 13  

 

Abbie Finn Trio   Photoshoot >> promo photos + CD photos 

 

For Gunter Baby Sommer & Raymond Macdonald’s Sounds, Songs & other Noises, I was delighted to have been asked to provide some photos of each of these highly regarded musicians, and honoured to have two photos chosen to represent them for the CD.

 

So, despite the initial slow-down of music performance and photographic opportunities, the last 3 years have been increasingly productive in supporting the CD and related promotional images used by a wide variety of performers. Live music is alive and kicking again! Roll on 2023! Ken Drew

2 comments :

Abbie said...

We love your photos ken, they're fab!! Happy new Year!

Ken Drew said...

Thanks Abbie ! I must say it's great to work with peeps who are naturally comfortable in front of the camera's beady eye :) When shooting photos & videos I'm glad to be behind the camera ! Happy New Year to you and the Band.

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