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.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Schmazz presents the Jonathan Silk Big Band @ The Black Swan - July 28









(Review by Lance/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew.)
The ethereal, tentative, probing, opening bars confirmed, what the pre-concert blurb had hinted at, that this was to be no powerhouse "hit him in the slats Bob"* big band but more of a contemporary jazz orchestra approach. Not that it was without excitement although some wag sitting at the back, stage whispered "I thought they were still tuning up!" - he left shortly after! It was complex and cleverly arranged without seeming to have been arranged at all. Section pitted against section, not in the traditional call and response format but rather like a 20th century symphonic work whereby contrasting melodic lines complemented each other. Dissonant at times? Yes, but dissonance has come a long way since the Peanut Vendor.
The addition of tuba added extra depth, as it has done in the past with various legendary ensembles including Miles Davis, Gil Evans and John Dankworth, making for a fuller ensemble sound
Tenor saxists Fleming and Wright slugged it out, Adam Chatterton, cucumber cool on flugel, Tom McNiven blew trumpet like he does when let off the leash in the SNJO, Silk played a major part as leader, composer/arranger and drummer - he kicked off the second set with an extended solo that showed us what he could do with a pair of sticks but, in the main, contented himself with meaningful support. Guitar, keys, bass (guitar and upright) kept us in the present whilst Mikey Owers, who I'm reliably informed has replaced Ryan Quigley in Brass Jaw, excelled on trombone. Not many trumpet players could replace Quigley so for a trombonist to get the gig speaks volumes.
Talking about volumes...
The lack of microphones made many of Silk's announcements inaudible to those of us sitting in 'the gallery'.  The absence of mics also presented problems for the sax soloists - particularly when the band were riffing behind them. Baritone sax (Maddock?) the most notable casualty.
The personnel given below is what was advertised, however, Phil O'Malley played some cracking trombone solos so he too was in there sliding - clarification needed. 
A quite memorable occasion.
Lance.
John Fleming, Mike Fletcher, Adam Jackson; Chris Maddock, Joe Wright (reeds); Mike Adlington, Adam Chatterton, Matt Gough, Tom McNiven (trumpets); Richard Foote, Kieran McLeod, Mikey Owers (trombones); Andy Johnson (tuba); Tom Ford (guitar); Andy Bunting (keyboards); Nick Jurd (bass); Jonathan Silk (drums).
"Hit him in the slats Bob" the legendary instruction Mrs Fitzsimmons is reported to have shouted to her husband during Bob Fitzsimmons' world title fight with James J. Corbett which, interpreted, meant "Hit him in the guts".

No comments :

Blog Archive