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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.

Thursday, March 09, 2023

Nigel Price-Vasilis Xenopoulos Quintet @ The Spice of Life, London - Mar. 6

Nigel Price (guitar); Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax); Leon Greening (piano); Adam King (double bass); Richard Pite (drums)

On a flying visit to London (non-stop train, actually), the advertised Monday lunchtime concert at the Spice of Life featuring the Nigel Price-Vasilis Xenopoulos Quartet was too good an opportunity to pass up. Arriving at Cambridge Circus in good time, who should be standing at the lights, guitar case in hand, waiting to cross Shaftesbury Avenue? Mr. N. Price. It's all in the timing. As the lights were changing, a quick 'hello', let's go! 

The Spice of Life's basement space, with its half-decent piano, attracted a large crowd, little wonder given the calibre of musician(s) in the house. The advertised quartet became a quintet with the addition of one of the finest pianists on the British jazz scene, Leon Greening. On the stand at half past twelve were Price, Greening, Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax), Adam King (double bass) and Jazz at the Spice of Life MC, Richard Pite (drums). Now that's what you call 'A-list'! Guitarist Price handled the introductions, the quintet opening with Jeannine. No matter how many times you've heard these guys, they're never less than superb. The 'frontline' - Price and Xenopoulos - dovetailed their solos, Price, single line runs, dizzying chordal passages, Xenopoulos the cast iron tenor player with an old school swagger.

The Touch of Your Lips, Trieste, choice material, five musicians at the top of their game. Price described Adam King as: the finest bass player...anywhere. On the evidence of this gig it would be difficult to argue. Pianist Leon Greening sat hunched over the keyboard, his back to the audience, knocking out some tremendous stuff. What a band! For All We Know heard Price in full flow. An early morning journey, the thick end of three hundred miles to London, it was well worth the effort. The first set concluded with Four (Miles Davis long-since credited as the composer), a great first set with more to come...

Second set. Being a guitarist, it hadn't escaped Nigel Price's notice that today (March 6th) marked the centenary of the birth of Wes Montgomery. During the interval the musicians agreed to devote the second set to the music of/associated with Montgomery. Excellent! From Montgomery's 1962 Full House LP, Price and co opened with the title track. Jazz guitar heaven! Gone with the Wind with Price's Joe Pass-like coda, it doesn't get any better. Road Song featured pianist Greening soloing as if for his life. Wow! Old Folks, the set's beautiful ballad, segued into Young at Heart, great stuff. Sadly, the two thirty finish was fast approaching. Price knows his stuff, and, to close, our man suggested a blues - Blues 'n' Boogie. Price, Xenopoulos, Greening, King, Pite and the spirit of Wes Montgomery. What a start to the day! Russell        

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