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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.

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Brian Molley Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle - April 22

Brian Molley (tenor/soprano); Tom Gibbs (piano); James Lindsay (bass); Stuart Brown (bass).
(Review by Lance).
I'd recently reviewed the band's current CD, Colour and Movement, and been impressed - it's a stunner. However, hearing the band live in Newcastle really brought the CD to life and I appreciated it all the more. It's a chicken and egg situation - hear the band live to appreciate the CD or hear the CD first to appreciate the band. It's a win win situation and the Jazz Coop audience certainly felt they'd backed a winner last night at The Globe.
The music is tantalising with lots of mood swings from dreamy meandering to powerful in your face contemporary and beyond, often in the same number. Much more than your average 'original' composition. Well thought out, but not contrived. Jazz without compromise incorporating the leader's Scottish roots, a touch of Brazil and a measure or two of Rajasthani folk music. This latter strain came from the band's trips to India. They pay a third visit in June, but not before a gig in Eyemouth on April 29.
Molley, who composed and arranged most of the material, has set himself an uphill task - how do I follow that?
I'm sure he will and, if not, well, there's always room for a tenorman who can blow Autumn in New York (not on the album) like he did - Stan Getz Lives!
On piano, Tom Gibbs did the business. His amazingly long fingers spanning intervals that only an octopus could match. Mario Caribe didn't make the trip but James Lindsay did - a supersub if ever there was one. And Stu Brown! This man turns up in many guises! Raymond Scott, Looney Tunes and, Paul Bream tells me, he is also part of an improvising trio with Graeme Wilson and Andy Champion.
Most of the material was, natch, from that current album. The promo referred to 12 tunes in 12 different keys and in 12 different time signatures yet, although this was undoubtedly the case we were left to decide amongst ourselves which tune was in what  key and in what time signature.
Not that it really matters to the listener. The music spoke for itself.
This was a gig to remember! and Wylam's Collingwood Ale (unfortunately only available frae the ground floor bar) superb.
Lance.

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