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Bebop Spoken There

Marcella Puppini (in concert with the Puppini Sisters at Sunderland Fire Station, November 27, 2024): ''We've never played there, but we've looked it up, and it looks amazing.''. (The Northern Echo, November 21, 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

17523 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 797 of them this year alone and, so far, 35 this month (Nov. 10).

From This Moment On ...

November

Fri 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The White Swan, Ovingham. 12:30-3:30pm. Line-up: Chris Perrin (clarinet, tenor sax); Phil Rutherford (sousaphone); David Gray (trombone, trumpet, vocals); Brian Bennett (banjo). To book a table tel: 01661 833188.
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: East Coast Swing Band @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:30pm.
Fri 22: Dilutey Juice @ Independent, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf.
Fri 22: Archipelago @ Poprecs, High St. West, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. Multi-bill, Archipelago on stage 8:00pm. A Boundaries Festival event.
Fri 22: Groovetrain @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. £15.00. + bf. 8:45pm (7:30pm doors).

Sat 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 11:00-1:00pm. £6.00. at the door, £4.00. advance. Tel: 0191 691 7090. A Spanish City ‘Xmas Market’ event in the Champagne Bar.
Sat 23: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Skinnergate, Darlington. 11:00am-12:30pm. Free (donations, fill up the bucket!).
Sat 23: Washboard Resonators @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. £12.00.
Sat 23: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ Westovian Theatre, South Shields. 7:30pm.

Sun 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 11:00-1:00pm. £6.00. at the door, £4.00. advance. Tel: 0191 691 7090. A Spanish City ‘Xmas Market’ event in the Champagne Bar.
Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Skerritt (solo) performing with backing tapes.
Sun 24: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 24: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Washboard Resonators @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £8.00.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Groovetrain @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. £15.00. + bf. 5:15pm (4:00pm doors). SOLD OUT!
Sun 24: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 24: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Globe. 8:00pm.
Sun 24: Lighthouse Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 26: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £12.00.; £10.00. advance.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 27: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:00-7:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Puppini Sisters @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Friday, May 10, 2024

Brad Mehldau Trio @ Cheltenham Town Hall May 4

Brad Mehldau (piano); Felix Moseholm (bass); Jorge Rossy (drums).

To the Town Hall in Cheltenham for what should have been the high point of this year’s Cheltenham Jazz Festival. The man is a legend and a grunt free shoe-in to inherit Keith Jarrett’s crown. His trio included long-time associate, Rossy, and, a new name to me, Felix Moseholm. Five minutes into the set and the crowd was mesmerised by the length of Moseholm’s fingers and asking if he had been bred in a lab just to play stand up jazz bass. If that were the case it had worked!

One of our pre-concert concerns was derived from Mehldau’s recent fondness for the classical canon, shown by his albums of works by Bach and Faure. Thankfully, we were served a menu of jazz instead.

They opened with the coolly swinging August Ending with Rosssy’s frantic brush work and spare bass punctuation from Moseholm. It took off after Rossy reached for the sticks. Mehldau seems to caress or gently stroke the keys creating a lot with little energy. The trad infused Monk-ish Blue Impulse followed with an angular solo of Monk-ish chords and single note runs. A Walk in the Park opened with spare minimalist piano, more busy brush work and the bassist’s singing merry lines behind.

Brad seems to twist himself round as he plays, as if he’s trying to stop the big boys looking over his shoulder and copying what he’s doing. This contortionism is emphasised by the fact that he is sat with his back to the audience when he is playing. (He turns round occasionally to talk us). Embers, one of the highlights of the set follows. It’s a noir-ish waltz, melancholic with lots of space. Rossy is busy again at the drums. Mehldau constructs a solo from short phrases, leading into a longer extended, swinging section.

After the Evans-ish Boomer with its loping rhythm comes a John Coltrane tune, Satellites. It’s open and pastoral, like American classical music; a dance of partners calling and responding it even includes a brief snatch of a square dance. Rossy’s solo is built of rockets and explosions, marches and pistol shots, whilst Mehldau builds a solo of carnival-esque moments and short runs.

The pace drops for a lightly stepping Secret Love which combines a lazy romance with a lush optimism. Mehldau’s playing combines the tune’s title amongst various excursions, hinting at it moving away, mentioning it again in passing. A master craftsman at work. Encore, the ghostly House on the Hill, is again open and pastoral, reflective and elegant over Rossy’s ticking cymbal.

For much of the set Moseholm seems to have been the rock at the centre whilst Mehldau explores and Rossy alternately attacks, teases and tickles. The familiarity of the cover versions allows us to really hear the craft and gives us a much deeper understanding of what is written and what is improvised. For such a big name in the jazz world, Mehldau could still do with improving his stagecraft and maybe play fewer gigs with his back to the audience. Good gig, though. Dave Sayer

1 comment :

Russell said...

Sounds like a great gig. I was lucky enough to hear Felix Moseholm in Birmingham a couple of weeks ago working with the great Samara Joy. An excellent bass player.

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