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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.

Monday, May 08, 2023

Sunday Night @ the Globe: Andrea Vicari Trio - May 7

(© Ken Drew)
Andrea Vicari (piano/keys); Andy Champion (bass/bass guitar); Abbie Finn (drums) + Harry Keeble (tenor sax)

Last year this very same trio played a sold out gig just down the road at the Lit and Phil  so the portents were that they would draw a similar sized audience to the Globe. Alas, it was not to be.

So what went wrong?

Musically it couldn't be faulted. However, there were probably several contributing factors. The bank holiday weekend, Newcastle playing at home (which is always a deterrent for non football fans) and the decision by the Central Bar just across the Tyne Bridge to move its Monday night session to a Sunday afternoon.

Nevertheless, those of us who made the effort were amply rewarded with some of the best jazz piano heard at the venue since well, er, well since they last played an Oscar Peterson record.

Both women were at the top of their game and Champion whether on double bass or bass guitar does pretty good for a man.

The material was mainly original although a lush version of Body and Soul with some beautiful arco bass from Champion was one of the many standout numbers. Vicari's Get Busy was aptly named. It had lots of notes with Abbie contributing some New Orleans' style parade drumming.

Occasionally, Andrea would shuffle from the house Yamaha upright to her Nord keyboard and the scenario would become more contemporary. On Counting Moments, a brooding, melancholic piece, she played some esoteric sounds that contrasted nicely with her more straight ahead approach when at the electronic upright.

(© Ken Drew)
And, as if all this on its own wasn't enough, we had the added bonus of tenor saxophone contender Harry Keeble sitting-in for Rhythm-A-Ning, Footprints and Straight no Chaser.

During the afternoon Andrea had hosted a piano workshop which, hopefully will have helped spawn a few more jazz pianists aspiring to reach Ms Vicari's heights.

Next Sunday has JNE presenting a concert by Eternal Triangle featuring the legendary free form pioneer Trevor Watts with a support set by Andy Champion on solo bass. Again they will be fighting on two fronts with David  Gray's Flextet at the Central Bar and 20 miles west it's the Hexham Jazz Festival. Hopefully (jazz folk always live in hope) the three events will appeal to different sectors of the community. Lance

Set list included: Golden Gate; Get Busy; Counting Minutes; Body and Soul; Rhythm-A-Ning; Footprints; The Bells of Newchurch; Straight no Chaser

3 comments :

Anonymous said...

Sounds dreary. Thanks for the piece.

Lance said...

Dreary? Oh dear! You missed a treat Mr ?

Keith Barrett said...

Though thanked for, I’m not sure that Anonymous read the piece…. The gig was fabulous

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