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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.

Monday, June 06, 2016

CD Review: Beat This: The Lawnmowers Theatre Company

(Review by the Comeback Kid)
So here I am again, thankfully minus my gall bladder, reviewing a CD off my own bat or rather pen, if Lance Blogmaster allows it. And it’s not even a jazz CD as such, but it will be of interest to jazz fans, especially drummers and percussionists.  The Lawnmowers Theatre Company is based in Gateshead and the organisation does an excellent job of working with people who have learning difficulties who do music and drama.  I found out about this group during the Late Shows Weekend, which happens each Spring, when museums, libraries etc are open late to the public. 
The CD, a bargain at £5 for 12 long tracks, is a wonderfully varied miscellany of music produced by the glass orchestra (tubes, sheets and domes of glass, giving out tinkles, tones, ethereal sounds); drums of many timbres, plus marimba, violin and vocal input  on some tracks. The titles of the tunes are intriguing, such as Glass Eye; Jaws, Clarity. 
The opening tune is Matthew’s Journey, with a voice describing an ordinary journey to Gateshead by bus, to the accompaniment of a glass walking rhythm, which I found both amusing and strangely moving.  Jaws is an African drum piece and the voice on The Law Of Entrainment explains this musical law of rhythm which was laid down by a Dutch scientist in 1655. Samba Funk does what it says on the tin and Library Music Box consists of glass sounds with a voiceover listing shipping forecast areas, with drums and a repeated riff on the violin. A and R is all tribal drums and shouts and Tates Freilich features a Kletzmer violin. Other titles are Funk Masters; Maracatu and the oddly named final tune 10 Years Of Hair Growth.
Readers would be well advised to see these musicians in action if they are featured in the Late Shows next year as it’s a sheer delight to watch how the glass instruments are played.  The performance is in Gateshead Old Town Hall, and there is also drama in mime, singing, breakdancing,  and the evening is rounded off with a free finger buffet.
The CD was issued in 2015 and the Lawnmowers are available to perform at festivals and educational events.
Ann Alex
Aaron Moody, Adam Tait, Brendan Murphy, Claire Hills-Wilson, Dan Brunskill, David Champion, Debbie Bell, Graeme Thompson, Laura Baxendale, Matthew Dennis, Paul Armstrong, Robin Dunn, Scott Roe, Sophie Clarke (playing various glass instruments, drums, percussion, marimba, violin). With special thanks to Brendan Murphy, Rob Kitchen, World Beaters Music and Afro Reggae.

1 comment :

Steven T said...

Brendan Murphy cane into our kids primary school to teach music. I can still remember Francis conducting a large ensemble of 10/11 year olds, so definitely an influence.

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