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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Saturday, May 13, 2023

Hexham Jazz Festival: Rachel Sutton + The Ushaw Ensemble @ Hexham Abbey - May 12

The 2023 Hexham Jazz Festival got underway in the splendid setting of Hexham Abbey with performances by Rachel Sutton and The Ushaw Ensemble. Taking a pew alongside a sizeable audience, the installation of several screens relaying the on-stage action proved to be a welcome innovation given that the sight lines aren't the best. Some came prepared with cushion in hand designed to give some relief from the unforgiving hard-as-teak (quite possibly teak) pews.

Rachel Sutton (vocals); Roland Perrin (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Steve Hanley (drums) 

Vocalist Rachel Sutton is a favourite on the London jazz scene and here in Hexham Abbey she was introduced to the congregation by Jazz FM's Nigel Williams. Up from the 'Smoke' with her regular accompanist Roland Perrin, Sutton's impassioned, theatrical performance embraced a selection of standards and original compositions. All of MeComes LoveBut Not for Me, Ms Sutton's expressive vocals were backed up by the impressive Perrin at the grand, alongside two of the north's finest, the 'Champster', that's bassist Andy Champion, and from Yorkshire, the ever-reliable Steve Hanley, drums. The cavernous venue's acoustics aren't particularly conducive to intimate, cabaret-style performance, credit to the musicians for somehow making it work.

The Ushaw Ensemble: Paul Edis (MD, piano); Emma Fisk (violin); Andy May (Northumbrian pipes); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Graeme Wilson (tenor sax, bass clarinet, flute); Paul Susans (double bass); Rob Walker (drums)

Earlier, Paul Edis returned to his native north east to revisit his Arts and Words Festival commission The Lindisfarne Gospels. Given the subject matter, there could hardly be a more suitable venue than Hexham Abbey. The Ushaw Ensemble is an occasional project, joining Edis to perform a continuous suite of music were out-and-out jazz musicians and a Northumbrian piper. Comprising nine parts, Edis no doubt wrote the music with specific musicians in mind. 

At either end of the 'frontline', violinist Emma Fisk and piper Andy May created other worldly sounds, sounds which would have been heard in ancient times. In the sonically challenging space of Hexham Abbey it was, perhaps, Graham Hardy's brass instruments which fared best (trumpet and flugelhorn) alongside Graeme Wilson's flawless contributions, principally on tenor sax with some bass clarinet and flute adding colours to his palette. Local lad, bassist Paul Susans, and first call drummer Rob Walker anchored and enhanced Edis' musical vision. 

The Hexham Jazz Festival is well and truly underway. Further concert performances are scheduled across the weekend in Hexham Abbey, Queen's Hall Arts Centre and the Forum Cinema. Full details at: www.queenshall.co.uk. Russell 

1 comment :

Patrick said...

I agree fully with your observations regarding the acoustics - the Abbey was not an ideal venue.

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