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Bebop Spoken There

Billy Boy Arnold: “As long as you don't think old you're good.” - DownBeat, December, 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!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Postage

16051 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1058 of them this year alone and, so far, 12 this month (Dec. 6).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 11: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 11: Interim Final Recitals @ Newcastle University. Details TBC.

Tue 12: Stu Collingwood Organ Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £10.00.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 13: Giles Strong Quartet @ Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Hot Fingers @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 14: After Hours Student Jazz Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. . Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 14: Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Mo Scott ‘Little Mo’s Festive Appearance’ @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Tees Hot Club w. Kevin Eland, Josh Bentham, Garry Hadfield, Adrian Beadnell @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 15: Paul Edis @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Paul Skerritt @ Black Horse Inn, Crook. From 7:00pm.
Fri 15: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ St Cuhtbert's Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00. SOLD OUT! Waiting list open.
Fri 15: Zoë Gilby Trio @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £12.00. POSTPONED!
Fri 15: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. First night of two. SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Baghdaddies @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00.; £10.00.

Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 2:00pm. A Jazzy Christmas + Jambone.
Sat 16: Porritt & Barrett & Friends Xmas Special @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:00pm. £4.00.
Sat 16: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 16: Red Kites Jazz Band @ The Staithes Café, Gateshead. 7:00pm--9:00pm.
Sat 16: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Ellingham Village Hall, Chathill. 7:30pm. £12.00., £8.00.
Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Sat 16: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Second night of two.

Sun 17: Red Kites Jazz Band @ Gibside Chapel, nr. Rowlands Gill. 1:00-2:30pm.
Sun 17: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm.
Sun 17: Revolutionaires @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Rock ‘n’ roll excellence!
Sun 17: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Alehouse, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 17: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Multi-bill inc. David Gray’s Flextet + jam session.
Sun 17: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ Queen's Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. £17.00., £15.00.
Sun 17: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Amble Parish Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sun 17: Snake Davis Trio @ St John’s Hall, Snods Edge, Shotley Bridge DH8 9TJ. 7:30pm. £15.00. from 07766 037893.

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music: The Edith Adamson Carillon – Performance 2 of 3 @ Newcastle Civic Centre. Sept. 29

(© Ken Drew)
Paul Taylor (composer); Jon Bradley (carillonneur)

Following the opening performance of this year's Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music last week, in which the debut recital of a specially commissioned piece by Paul Taylor was played by Jon Bradley on the Civic Centre's  carillon, as noted last week for Part II I arrived in the quadrangle just before kick-off at 3:00pm. 

The weather was much brighter and drier - typical 'spring' weather (such is the British weather this year!) with just a few passing white clouds against an alluring blue sky. I found the five flying swans, an artwork frozen in time above the rectangular lake (pond?).  A moment after 3:00pm two things happened. The bells of the carillon struck up, and a cyclist quickly parked up, dismounted and lay in anticipation of another relaxing hour of unique and spellbinding music unfolding.  

Last week's circumnavigation around the outside of the Civic Centre had brought new sights to my attention, and the sounds of the carillon performance were mostly evident but occasionally lost against the hubbub of the city centre traffic and passers-by (yes, people still do their voice-calls 'on-the-fly' using hands-free apparently).   Hrumph. But it was a pleasant enough tour as the bells chimed away. This week in the quadrangle, those extraneous sounds were effectively eliminated, so the chimes rang out, lightly bouncing off the four walls of the quad space. The only interlopers were those pedestrians who knew where they were going, since the two entrances/exits to the quad are in opposite corners, but still just concealed enough to make this an occasional thoroughfare.

The music, being more distinct, rang out clearly as did the 'form' and the 'flow' of the piece, with occasional rests (well earned, given the manual effort required to play the instrument). Yes, it was quite serene, and nicely backed by the distant vision of the bell tower of the Civic Centre set against the blue sky. Looking around, there were both passers-by-ers and visitors-for-the-duration.  Several 'workers' (people with a lanyard proudly displaying their allegiance/identity) wandered through with things to do, but a group of three wandered through and sat for the rest of the performance. As did a couple who nabbed a seat close the the far-off trees, opposite the swans. I did briefly wonder whether their thoughts were lost in relaxation, or given the proximity of the sycamore to them, lost in sadness for one of its relatives.  Either way, the music floated over the space providing a quite relaxing atmosphere.    

At around half way through the hour, I spied a chap in a kilt carrying bagpipes on the 'public side' of the Civic Centre. Time for a brief wander, to check the acoustics once again, and to see who else was around. Within two minutes he also struck up with some music. I think none of us would be surprised as to how far the sounds of bagpipes can, and did, travel ........ and so the bells were briefly outnumbered (!). It then became apparent through the flash-mob of a  wedding party heading towards three awaiting white limousines that a wedding had just taken place under the very bells playing out. The competing sounds lasted all of two minutes as I was compelled to return to the quad and settle back down to the peace and tranquillity which I'd earlier become accustomed to.  Bliss! The cyclist was still there, the three workers, the two peeps behind the trees, and two more (familiar) faces had appeared - music followers keen to sample the unique performace of the carillon whilst it was on offer.

So, a very much worthwhile second visit, and the much longer uninterrupted segments I heard made more 'musical' sense I guess. Well worth it, so I hope the weather is as kind next week for the final performance of this Jazz Festival-commissioned tryptich. Ken Drew

LINKSNew Jazz and Improvised Music Link (links to the label's 18 album releases, including Interlude music created for the Festival). NFoJaIM info Link (advanced tickets highly recommended for indoor performances)

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