Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Jeux de Mots! Djangologie @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall. Wednesday February 12.

Mick Shoulder (bass), Emma Fisk (violin), Giles Strong  (guitar) and James Birkett (guitar).
(Review photos by Jerry E.)
It began inauspiciously: had we encountered three witches and a cauldron between car-park and Town Hall, I’d not have been surprised! Even inside, the wind howled and thrummed in the rafters and the curtains behind the stage wafted ominously!
It was a good turn-out though and from the off the audience, having unwrapped more layers than I’ve seen since returning from a visit to Estonia, was rapt – “too rapt” during Dinah, according to Mick! He urged applause and, solo by solo, they “un-rapt” to the extent that he seemed almost to “tut” after one unseemly bout of premature Mick-adulation before he’d finished his solo! “There’s no pleasing him,” said Emma.
But we were pleased by Douce Ambience in which Giles “did something contrapuntal” (it’s legal in Bishop!) and by Feuille d’Automne and Nuages. During the quiet, melancholic coda to this last, the wind made its presence felt as “fifth member” of the band: for the most part, fortunately, the strumming guitars and tapping feet managed to drown it out. Music conquers all?

When introducing the players Mick clarified his rhyming references to Emma as the “ship’s porcupine,” which explanation I will not go into here. I did notice, however, that by the second-half intros she was simply “Miss Emma Fisk”. Simply brilliant on her solos, if you ask me, as indeed were they all at various points in the gig.
Many of the tunes were familiar to me: Hun o Pani Naschella; Songe d’Automne; Artillerie Lourde; Minor Swing and the breakneck Stompin’ at Decca. Later there followed: Sheikh of Araby; Veish a No Drom; Mira Prau (?) and Les Yeux Noirs. As well as these old friends, there were at least two which were entirely new to me: Cigano Bolero and Blues for D.R., both Mick originals and both very welcome additions to what is already a great repertoire. Cigano (= gypsy in Portuguese) Bolero had Giles Strong taking the lead while James Birkett strummed a soft Latin rhythm and Emma Fisk’s violin was softly lyrical. A beautiful tune! Blues for D.R. had a slow opening such as Django might have produced after a sabbatical in the Delta before going up-tempo in another wind-cheating blast.
And, through the soothing encore, Dans mon Endroit Tranquil, the wind was still ironically vocal but we scarcely noticed, rapt still (O.E.D. - 1]completely fascinated 2] filled with an intense and pleasurable emotion).
My friends, guitar-enthusiasts both, bought CD’s before they left – with only a few hints from Mick and the “Big Lad” on the door! It really was that good.
Jerry

No comments :

Blog Archive